The Victorians

Sit around the Victorian fireplace in the Barn to discover what it was like to live during that time. A large collection of artefacts lead to study using reference books and ICT. Initiate lively discussions about life as a Victorian child, impact of industrialisation, inventions etc. For the full experience spend a day as a Victorian child, dressing up with formal lessons (and enjoyable activities like photograms!) Link with brick- or bread-making to compare past and present technologies. Read an excerpt from ‘The Water Babies’ to stimulate enquiry. Visit a local museum (Woodchurch or Tenterden) to further explore rural life, or Smuggler’s Caves at Hastings.

Group size: Any
Time: 1 hr +
Cost: Free

The Second World War/ Britain Since 1930

By the sandbags in the Barn discover the impact of the Blitz on London children. Discuss evacuation and staying in the country without family. Clothes, gas masks, ration books help re-create events of the time. Look at photographs, study documents to help find out the difficulty of living at Kench Hill during the war.

For the full experience spend a day as evacuees – re-create an air raid and help prepare your own rationed meals using authentic recipes. Enjoy an old-fashioned knees-up at the end the day with a sing-song and dance music of the era. This activity can be linked with a visit to Dover Castle’s Hellfire Corner or a local walk to look inside a pill-box (gun placement). Local museums also offer lots of evidence of changes since 1930.

Group size: Any
Time: 1 hr +
Cost: Free

Saxons and Vikings

Sit in our Thatched House, a recreation of a Saxon dwelling, which contains artifacts found on the site going way back in time.  At night in the lamplight around a small fire wonderful stories can be told of heroes, heroines and far away places… Use the Time Line and artifacts in the Barn to set historical events into place and develop chronological understanding.

Group size: Any
Time: 1hr
Cost: Free

Local Sites – See Day Trips for details

  • Woodchurch Museum (Rural life and history) & Windmill
  • Tenterden Museum
  • Dover Castle (Tudors, Britain since 1930, Romans, Anglo-Saxons)
  • Bodiam Castle ( Normans)
  • Appledore Church (Vikings, Anglo-Saxons)
  • Rye (General local history) and Camber Castle (Tudors)
  • Hever Castle (Tudors)
  • Historic Dockyard, Chatham (WW2, Victorians)