St Mary’s Field Museum: Medieval Heraldry

Overview:  

Before we build bridges, tunnels, tracks and stations, the largest archaeology programme ever undertaken in the UK is taking place along the line of route. This lesson plan is part of a collection of resources created by Fusion JV, an HS2 supplier who has been managing our archaeological work in Buckinghamshire.  

Students can discover the archaeology and history of Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire through resource packs which include print-out worksheets and exercises to encourage engagement with historic materials in the subjects of art, design technology and history. These downloadable interactive `Dig-ital’ packs offer creative 40 minute workshops that encourage understanding of materials related to the Roman and Medieval time periods of British history.  

The ‘Medieval Heraldry’ lesson encourages pupils to think about the historic use of colour and symbols associated with families in the medieval period. Pupils look at pictures of coats of arms associated with St Mary’s Church and then design their own Coat of Arms thinking about what colours and symbols could represent them.  

Learning Objectives:  

• Understand the term heraldry and how coats of arms were used by people in the Medieval period. 
• Learn about what historic use and meaning of colours and symbols. 
• Discover images of heraldry from around St Mary’s Church and related to Stoke Mandeville/Buckinghamshire. 
• Gain a basic understanding of historical art inquiry in the identification of colours, animals and symbols within images. 

Delivery notes:

This lesson will take about 40 minutes to complete. 

Students will need print outs and colouring pencils.