Discovery boxes for schools
Hire a discovery box
You can hire one of our discovery boxes for Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 as well as A Level students.
Our discovery boxes can help enhance your classroom teaching with replica objects and accompanying activities.
Box hire costs £25 for a two-week loan.
Key Stage 1 boxes
Arms and Armour
Help the King defend Newark. Take part in army training in our interactive and object-based session. Dress up as different types of soldiers and handle replica weapons from the battlefield.
Key Stage 2 boxes
Arms and Armour
Train as an infantry soldier and investigate replica armour and weapons used on the Civil War battlefield. Learn about different types of soldiers, find out how they fought and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their equipment.
‘Last Town Standing’ Town Tour
Meet John or Elizabeth Twentyman. Walk with them to find Newark’s surviving Civil War buildings and hear the stories they help to tell. Discover why Newark was such an important town and learn about sieges in this fun participatory tour.
Besieged
Survive a siege in 1646. Bring to life the real townspeople of Newark during its third and final siege. Work in groups to solve the problems faced by the town and learn about civilian life during the conflict.
Civil War Spies
Join a spy ring and become part of the King’s intelligence network. Guided by a 17th-century spy, crack coded messages and decide which East Midlands town should
become the King’s ‘Key to the North’. This hands-on session introduces pupils to Civil War spying techniques and the strategy needed to win a war.
Mr Clifton’s Cupboard
Meet Mr Clifton, Newark’s barber surgeon, and find out how wounds were treated in the 17th century through object handling and film.
Key Stage 3 and 4 boxes
Arms and Armour
Join the infantry in this object-based session that examines the military experience of the Civil War. Handle typical civil war armour and weapons, learn how they were used and take part in musket and pike drills. Can you fire a musket fast enough?
The Trial and Execution of Charles I
Re-enact the Trial and Execution of Charles I in this interactive drama-based session. Bring this dramatic moment of history to life and debate the issues surrounding the trial. Should Charles lose his head? Let your students decide.
A Level students enjoying an exhibit
A Level boxes
Last Town Standing
Discover Newark’s surviving Civil War buildings, including its amazing castle. Find out why Newark was strategically important and learn about the nationally significant events that took place here.
Trial and Execution
This interactive drama-based session examines the events of Charles I’d trial and puts students in the roles of the judges, guards and even the King himself. Students investigate the issues surrounding the trial and Charles I’s execution. Was the trial legal? Should he have lost his head? Let your students decide.
Weaponised Magic
Investigate the 17th-century belief in magic and the witch craze that reached its height during the Civil War. Find out how accusations of witchcraft were used to slander important Royalist figures and how belief in the miraculous power of the King’s Touch helped re-establish royal authority.