CLIFFORD S TOWER TEACHER S KIT

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1 CLIFFORD S TOWER TEACHER S KIT THIS PHOTOCOPIABLE TEACHING RESOURCE INCLUDES: site history site tour timeline activities site photos reconstruction drawings details of how to visit support resource information UNITS OF STUDY: What were homes like a long time ago? What was it like to live here in the past? How did medieval monarchs keep control? How hard was life for medieval people in town and country? How did the medieval church affect people s lives? CROSS-CURRICULAR LINKS: Art and Design, English, Geography, Maths The history Above: Clifford s Tower was originally the Keep of York Castle.This artist s impression not only provides an informed view of living and working conditions inside it but can be used to help focus pupils attention on the remaining physical evidence. Ask pupils to look for features which still remain, partially remain or no longer remain but have been included as part of the artist s own judgement. William the Conqueror s victory over King Harold at the Battle of Hastings did not bring the whole of England under his control immediately. He still had to subdue the northern counties. William marched north in 1068, established a castle in York and granted land to his leading Norman barons.the first castle was a motte and bailey type, where Clifford s Tower now stands. The River Foss was dammed to create a reservoir for the moat. After a revolt in 1069 a second motte and bailey castle was built on the opposite bank of the River Ouse to control river passage. However, in the autumn of 1069 a Danish fleet sailed upriver towards York. The local population rose in support of the Danes and converged on the city and its castles.the Norman garrisons set fire to nearby houses to deny cover to the attackers, but the flames got out of control and burnt down much of the city. The Danes, together with local allies, dismantled the castles. The King immediately organised a relief expedition, but found York deserted. The castles were repaired, and in revenge for the revolt William began to lay waste to the whole region in what came to be known as the Harrying of the North.

2 Site plan Site tour N EARLY 14TH CENTURY 17TH CENTURY 5 15 Mound The motte is 13m high and 66 71m in diameter at its base and 28 33m in diameter at its top. Investigations have revealed that the mound consists of layers of gravel, clay, black soil, stones and some Roman pottery towards the base.traces of timberwork at 5m and 4m below the present summit may represent the timber keeps and palisades destroyed in 1190 and 1228.The mound was originally surrounded by a deep moat, filled with water from the River Foss.The shape of the mound is now irregular, since severe flooding in the medieval period caused much damage to it.the lower part of the mound was strengthened with a substantial stone wall in the 19th century.the present steps are modern but they represent an original feature leading from a bridge over the moat.this part of the mound was underpinned with concrete in 1902 to prevent further subsidence of the forebuilding. Exterior The original stone is yellow magnesian limestone but the 17thcentury stone is mauve as it contains more iron. In the centre of the forebuilding, over the archway, are the coats of arms of Charles I, and below, those of Henry Clifford, fifth Earl of Cumberland.The Cliffords were hereditary constables of the castle and it has been suggested that this gave the tower its name. Inside, pupils can see the holes for hinge-pins and drawbar slots for a double-leafed door.the slots in the roof and the grooves in the side walls were for the portcullis and its counterweights.there is a stone bench where visitors would wait until permitted to enter the tower. On the first floor is a small chapel.two of its walls have blind arcading. These are believed to have come from an earlier chapel in the bailey.there is a cupboard for holy vessels. Above it is a window which allowed people on the first floor to observe the worship inside the chapel. As the chapel is above the entrance the portcullis would have lifted directly into it.the portcullis was operated from the second floor. LATRINES FP FP BASE OF CENTRAL PIER WELL 0 METRES The design of the tower is based on a French castle at Etampes. It consists of four intersecting circles, creating four lobes.the walls are over 3m thick and are made of limestone rubble and mortar, sandwiched between ashlar (square cut blocks of stone). At the junction of each of the lobes are small circular turrets which rose above the wall walk.they are supported on large stone corbels (projecting stones which support a structure).the windows on the ground floor are smaller and narrower for defensive reasons.those on the upper floor are larger, indicating that the rooms had a more domestic use. Only one gargoyle remains.they were used to drain rainwater from the wall walk which runs all round the top of the tower.the base of the tower has a slightly sloping plinth, or batter.this gave added strength, deterred undermining and deflected missiles, hurled from the battlements, into the path of attackers. Forebuilding The entrance to the tower is through a small and narrow forebuilding, at the junction of two of the tower s lobes.the original forebuilding was repaired in 1642 by the Royalists during the Civil War but was bombarded by the Parliamentary army in It was rebuilt in Evidence of this rebuilding can be seen in the: Interior The ground floor was probably divided into three rooms, a large one opposite the entrance was a guard-room which contained the well (15m deep).the other two rooms, corresponding to the remaining two lobes, have a fireplace and a latrine, indicating living accommodation. Each lobe is lit by a pair of windows inside deep recesses known as embrasures. They are unusual in that they have a square window at eyelevel with an arrowslit below.the arrowslits are sharply angled downwards to provide defensive cover at the base of the tower.the ceiling was made of wood, supported on a massive octagonal central pillar, the foundations of which are still visible. Large holes (many now filled with brick) in the walls show where a floor was installed 1.5m below the medieval floor, probably during the Civil War. Further holes are from the time when the tower was used as a cattle shed in the 18h century. The upper floor, reached by two spiral staircases, contained the king s private rooms and accommodation for the royal clerks and treasury officials.the walls on this floor are thinner and the window recesses wider.this would give more light and space to the living accommodation.the level of the upper floor can be judged by the threshold of the first-floor doorways.the upper floor rooms were also lit by windows The tower has had several names including the King s Tower and the Mince Pie. stonework which is bonded to the stonework of the tower at the east side but not on the west two different types of buttress remains of the earlier entrance which was slightly to the right of the present entrance different coloured stonework. and the two northern rooms each had a latrine.there are no fireplaces on this floor. Rooms may have been heated by portable braziers or tiled hearths placed in the centre. 2 3

3 Timeline Left: An artist s impression of York Castle in the early 14th century. By then most of the castle had been rebuilt in stone William the Conqueror built first castle Second castle at Baile Hill built Castle housed mint to issue silver pennies Jews of York take refuge in keep. Rather than surrender to mob outside they commit suicide. Mob burn down keep Keep rebuilt in timber and height of motte increased Keep flattened by high winds Henry III rebuilt castle in stone. (Consisted of tower, bailey walls, seven towers, two gates with bridges, two halls, chapel, kitchen and prison.) 1298 Castle housed Treasury during Edward I s campaign against Scots Castle severely damaged by floods which softened base of mound. Urgent repairs needed 1322 Bodies of Roger de Clifford and other Lancastrian leaders, defeated at Battle of Borough bridge hung from keep. (It has yet to be established if this gave the keep its name.) 14th century Castle used as administration centre and court (normally located at Westminster, but moved here when King fighting Scots) Coins minted at castle. 16th century Tudor monarchs allowed castle to decay. Tower unsuitable for human habitation but castle still used as gaol Body of Robert Aske (a leader of religious uprising, known as Pilgrimage of Grace) displayed at keep Gaoler of castle, Robert Redhead, stripping interior stonework to sell for personal profit. City council prevented further damage when battlements and turrets destroyed.tower known as Clifford s Tower James I leases out Clifford s tower. Bailey still used as court and prison Parliamentary forces besiege Tower during Civil War. Royalists surrender Tower repaired and occupied by Parliamentary forces until restoration of monarchy in Cannon fired from roof of tower to commemorate St George s Day. Woodwork caught fire and gunpowder exploded. Castle no longer garrisoned Clifford s Tower sold Samuel Waud (local gentlemen) built town house at base of mound.tower and mound used as romantic garden features. 18th century York the centre of Yorkshire social life. Castle area fashionable place to visit. Home to deer and ravens Plans for new prison. Clifford s Tower to be chapel and warders rooms. Different plan adopted Clifford s Tower placed in guardianship of Office of Public Works 1935 Prison demolished. Tower now on full view 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 4 5

4 Activities Clifford s Tower offers excellent opportunities for studying castle building and relations with the monarchy as part of KS3 Medieval Realms.When studying this unit a visit can be linked to the city walls,york Minster and other medieval sites in the city.the tower is ideal for a local study. Its long history enables pupils to develop a sense of chronology and understand how buildings are changed to adapt to different functions. Pupils need to be fully aware of what they are expected to do on site and what they will be doing with the information they have collected when they return to wooden structure with a much heavier stone building (large cracks indicate subsidence and the effects of flooding) what were the advantages of a circular tower over a square tower what is missing from the tower how they know that the upper floor provided the best accommodation how the latrine waste was disposed of (chutes visible opposite hotel) what evidence remains to show that a much larger defended settlement existed here. Sketching on site Asking pupils to make detailed drawings helps them focus on the remaining evidence. Enlarge and adapt these drawings for on-site investigation. Delete varying amounts of detail before photocopying and distributing to pupils to fill in missing features. school.your on-site activities should be tailored to meet specific educational objectives. These will determine the nature of your preparatory and follow-up work. In advance of your visit pupils should understand: the geography around the tower and the proximity of the Rivers Foss and Ouse. Identify the location of Baile Hill to understand why two castles were built in York. Use old and new town plans or local maps to look for evidence that a castle existed here the different elements of castle defence why the king needed so many castles, and who looked after them when he was not there that the castle was used for different functions a fortress, a royal palace, a mint, a prison, a court of justice, an administrative centre for the county, a romantic ruin and a tourist attraction the causes of the Civil War and the involvement of Clifford s Tower. The forebuilding Ask pupils: why a forebuilding was needed how the entrance was defended what evidence is there that the entrance has been changed why different stonework has been used (the modern stonework should also be pointed out as it signifies the conservation of a historic building). The interior Ask pupils: how they know that the tower was a place of residence how they know it was two floors high how they know that it was built with defence in mind how they know it had a roof, and what clues remain to show what it may have been like. A spiral staircase to the right of the entrance leads to a wall-walk where you will be able to show pupils the strategic significance of the castle, located between the Interior view of the south. Interior view of the east. Interior view of the west. For work back at school it is useful to take photographs or slides during the visit. Rivers Foss and Ouse and with extensive views over the surrounding area. Examining the tower The mound Ask pupils: does it look like a natural hill or a man-made mound why was it necessary to build a mound how was it built and where would the earth have come from how the mound was affected by floods why the mound needed to be strengthened. The exterior Ask pupils: what measures have been taken to make the tower easy to defend (elevated position, thick walls, wall-walk, battlements, curved design, high windows with arrow slits, single defended entrance, surrounding wall and moat) why the tower was replaced in stone - what were the advantages of stone over wood what were the consequences of replacing the lighter Using artists impression Because the tower has lost its roof and internal partitions pupils need help to imagine what it looked like when complete and what it may have been like to live and work inside. Use the artist s impressions (available from the custodian) to show pupils what the building may have looked like in the medieval period. Ask them: What is still there What is only partly there What clues show what might have been there Where the artist had to use his imagination. Exterior view of the south. Exterior view of the east. InteRior view of the north. 6 7

5 Activities continued History Recording information Some teachers devise worksheets for use with the interpretation panels on site. These enable pupils to select and record relevant data. However, you may find it more useful to develop activity sheets with openended questions or problem-solving exercises. They also allow you to differentiate your pupils work. Structured activity sheets encourage pupils to observe, describe, record (using annotated sketches or diagrams), compare, deduce and suggest. On a more practical level you will need to diversify your work to prevent pupils from crowding in and around impossibly difficult working spaces. Looking for change To help pupils focus on the remaining evidence ask them what changes have been made to the original building and why they think these have been made. Are the changes the result of: decay deliberate damage repair attack theft recycling improvements to make the building safe for visitors. Alternatively, you could ask them to look at the elements of the building and ask them to identify which elements are still used and why. The size and scale of the tower allows pupils to closely analyse the remaining physical evidence without being distracted by buildings nearby. This makes it an ideal subject for pupils to make models of the tower as it may have been when complete. Use the suggested questions below the description of each aspect of the tower to help pupils interpret the evidence. Ask them to take drawings of the exterior and interior, looking particularly at the walls for evidence of how many levels there were, how the floors and ceilings were constructed, what type of doors there might have been and any internal architectural features which show what it was like to live inside. (Pupils need to know that the battlements are slightly lower now than when built.) You can adapt the line drawings on page six to help pupils record information. Delete features before you photocopy them. This enables you to differentiate the exercise. Help pupils see that life then was very different to life today. Inside the thick curved walls is a large space where many people lived in a very different way from families today. Ask pupils to look for evidence of how people s needs might have been met if they lived in the tower heating, light, water supply, cooking facilities, toilets, worship, protection and compare with what we have today. To prepare for this you could ask pupils to draw up a list of how these human needs are met today and then look for the medieval equivalent in the tower. Pupils need to be aware that the living accommodation in the tower was only for the King or his constables, the majority of people at the time would not have enjoyed such luxury. Technology A study of design features will also support historical investigation. Ask pupils to examine and record, using notes, diagrams or annotated sketches how: arches supported the masonry above (round, pointed and flattened arches are evident). What other ways is masonry supported over an opening? (lintels) ceilings could be erected to cover such a large space (central pillar, joist holes and ledges for timber beams) protruding structures were supported (corbels) different types of vaulting were constructed buttresses gave added strength to supporting walls the tower s walls were built (ashlar with a core of rubble) a medieval latrine system operated fireplaces were integrated into the fabric of the tower walls. * * NB: the back of the fireplaces are built of tiles laid on end.tile was used because, unlike stone, it had been fired in a kiln and would therefore not crack. It would also retain and throw out heat. Ask pupils what has caused the stonework to deteriorate. How has extreme heat affected the stonework? (Discolouration and thousands of tiny cracks.) What has caused the stone to weather? What modern methods have been used to maintain the building and to support it? Above: Aspects of technology can be explored by looking at ways in which structures have been supported or integrated into masonry. A local study The changing landscape The wall walk is an excellent vantage point to study the landscape of York. From here you can: point out the several churches which highlight the importance of religion in medieval York demonstrate the nature of local buildings and how these have influenced human activity within the city help pupils understand change and continuity, reinforcing the long chronology of York. To help you achieve this ask pupils to identify, describe and show on a plan of their own: five things which would have been there in medieval times five things which are still there but have changed since medieval times five old buildings which have changed their use five things which are in the process of change. State what these changes are five different uses of the bailey area today five different types of tower in the city and their uses five different building materials. Try to list them according to old, very old, modern five buildings which they would like to change and why. This information can then be used as a basis for discussion and presentation back at school. Encourage pupils to think of ways of communicating their findings using different formats. Exercises could link with other subjects such as English, technology, geography and art, with pupils (either individually or collaboratively) producing: a calendar for the city. Pupils are restricted to only 12 images and need to select and discuss appropriate images a leaflet entitled York, now and then a petition for the removal or redesign of an unsightly building a series of trails identifying the cultural, spiritual and industrial aspects of the area a directory or plan detailing the transport and communication networks (road, rail, river, footpaths, cycle ways) a design for a new stained glass window in the Minster an illustration for the front cover of a tourist guide a list/frieze/models of the buildings which pupils think are important to the economy of York. English A visit to any historic site can easily involve pupils talking, listening and responding appropriately to what others say. Give small groups of pupils a role play task to plan, rehearse and present at the end of the visit to the rest of the group. They could: demonstrate the purpose of a feature such as the unusual type of windows explain how difficult it would be for attackers to get into the tower discuss the problems of managing a major tourist attraction describe how a visitor in medieval times would expect to be received on arrival to the tower give instructions in the manner of an architect to his builders constructing the tower present their findings on what it would have been like to live in the tower complete a story which you have begun on site, collecting background information and descriptions devise a dialogue between the constable and a group of soldiers about defending the tower in the event of an attack. A visit can also support key writing skills. Avoid long exercises; instead use the visit to collect background information, sensory descriptions and impressions. Ask pupils to go to different areas of the tower and to describe what they see, hear and feel. Ask for three sentences or five single words to summarise each location. Develop this further by noting those features which are visible today but would not have been there in medieval times.this can then lead pupils to think about what would have been there in medieval times but is no longer there now.these comparative observations will be very useful for many forms of creative writing, which after initial drafting, discussion and revision will need careful proof reading before a final copy is presented. You could ask pupils to devise a guide for younger children to explain the defensive features of the tower, how it was built or what it might have been like to live inside from the viewpoint of the King or a servant. Similarly a short tape tour could be devised.this could be a narrative or could be presented as a series of conversations between different people at various locations in and around the tower. 8 9

6 Your visit Location: Tower Street,York How to get there: OS map ref 290 (Fed: SE ). Postcode:YO1 9SA Booking: Tel: Cost: Education visits are free but must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Maximum party numbers: 50. Adult to pupil ratio 1:15. Pupils must be supervised at all times. Please remember you are responsible for your own risk assessment. Hazard information available when booking. Not all old buildings can be made as safe for pupils to work in as modern ones.teachers and helpers need to exercise extra care and surveillance, particularly when climbing the steps and using the wall-walk for on-site work. Facilities: car park (nearby city par parks) disabled access * shop picnics (not inside the tower) artists impressions on-site Big Book of Castles for class use * NB: several steps lead up to the tower with further steps to the wall-walk. Support resources from English Heritage Big Book of Castles,The, 2007 ISBN (Comes with FREE teacher s guide) Looking at a Castle (DVD), 1980 ISBN Digital Time Traveller: Real Castles (Book & CD- Rom), 2000 ISBN Real Castles (Poster Pack), 1994 ISBN Usborne Beginners: Castles ISBN Usborne Young Readers:The Story of Castles ISBN To order: via our website: uk/learning via at: ehsales@gillards.com via phone: For free copies of our brochures about Free Educational Visits and Discovery Visits, our Resources Catalogue or Heritage Learning our termly magazine please visit our website at: English Heritage Education We aim to help teachers at all levels to use the resource of the historic environment. Each year, we welcome half a million pupils, students and teachers on free educational group visits to over 400 historic sites in our care. We also offer services to help access the National Monuments Record, our public archive. Copyright 1998 English Heritage. Revised Author: Andrew Jones Additional material: David Walmsley Photographs & illustrations English Heritage unless otherwise stated Designer: Beck Ward Murphy PC