Anne of Cleves House is a timber-framed house dating from the 15^th century.  There is also a local history museum and herb garden on site.

The education department offers activities that include artefact handling, drama, craft, storytelling and hands on activities to support Foundation Stage, KS1,2 and 3 curricula.

We teach in groups of approximately 15 students up to a maximum of 45.  Each session is usually one hour although the timetable is flexible.  We are happy to tailor make sessions to fit your topic or age-group.  Please call the education officer if you would like to discuss your curriculum.

 Anne of Cleves House provides the setting for the following sessions:

• TUDOR
• Six Wives of Henry VIII Drama Session
• Living in a Tudor House
• Tudor Kitchen
• Tudor Artefact Handling
• AND MORE…
• Toys
• Fire of London
  
• Nursery Rhyme Trail and Storyboxes
  
• Changing Materials Day
  
• Fire and Light Day
  
• Victorian
• Textiles

Six Wives of Henry VIII Drama Session - This session looks at the life of Henry VIII.  The museum teacher discusses the story with the group and then everyone is given a part.  They dress up in rich Tudor costume and act out the story with opportunities for photographs!

Living in a Tudor House - This session takes place in the bedroom.  The group explores the building materials including a hands on activity fitting wooden joints together.  The session then looks at the furniture and children are given the opportunity to make a drawing to take away with quills.

This activity can be adapted for KS1 to include a story based on the Princess and the Pea text.

Tudor Kitchen - This activity takes place in the Tudor Kitchen.  The session looks at the equipment in the kitchen and the diets of rich and poor.  We talk about uses of herbs and use herbs fresh from the garden when possible.  Children then all take part in hands on activities including using pestle and mortars and making herb bags, a pomander and invitations to a feast to take away.  We can include a small role play activity or some of the handling collection if you have not booked the handling session. 

This activity can be adapted for KS1 to include a story based on the Little Red Hen and (pretend) bread making.

This session is a good multi-sensory experience for children with special needs.

Tudor Artefact Handling - Children handle Tudor artefacts from the collections including cooking utensils, rush lights, tankards, inkwell and a game.  The discussion compares rich and poor diets, health and lifestyles. We talk about the use of lead, tobacco and the goods that the explorers were bringing into the country.  Children are given the opportunity to draw some of the artefacts.

Tudor Outreach Session - We can bring the Tudor handling collection and the costumes, to do the Six Wives of Henry VIII session, to your school.

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Cross curricular topics - We can support many areas of your curriculum.  Please call with your ideas or queries.  We have recently worked with dancers, maths students, a storyteller and an artist.

Toy Handling Session - The group is introduced to what a museum does and how to handle old objects.  The group then talks about how we can tell a bear is old.  We then look at toys from the collections and talk about what they are made out of, how they are different to toys of today and how children played approximately 100 years ago.  Children then have a chance to handle old toys and compare some of them with new toys.  If time, children can draw some of the toys. There is a display of toys in the galleries to supplement your visit

Toy Outreach Session - We may be able bring the Toy handling collection out to your school.

Fire of London -Explore timber frame buildings and how they contributed to the spread of Fire in 1666.  Children can have one session in the Timber framed bedroom looking at construction and then another activity in the Kitchen looking at the bread oven and fire.  There is also an independent fire trail around the whole house.

Nursery Rhyme Trail - Foundation Stage children will enjoy a trail around the House and Museum that highlights objects and displays that feature in nursery rhymes. 

Storyboxes - literacy activities and story boxes are available for independent visits or taught sessions.

Changing Materials Day -explore reversible and irreversible changes with flour, bread, butter and moulds.

Fire and Light Day - explore the role of fire and light in the past.  Handle artefacts from the collections, explore materials on the site, make your own light.

Victorian Handling Session - The group has an opportunity to handle Victorian material from the collection including cooking utensils, clothing and packaging.  Children can draw the objects.  There are also photographs of Victorian Lewes that can be used to compare then and now.  There are displays of Victorian Lewes in the Museum to supplement your visit.

Victorian Outreach Session - We may be able to bring the handling collection and photographs out to your school.

Textiles and Traditional Crafts - We can organise practical workshops for KS1,2,3 or 4 that explore fleece, spinning, dyeing, weaving and felting.  These can be used with the technology or science curricula.

We can help to find practitioners of other traditional crafts such as pottery and tool making.  Please call for further details.

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