Hooray: the Henley Trail is a winner - Dartmouth Museum

By: Dartmouth Chronicle
Added: 20 July 2011

Students armed with clipboards took part in a day-long trial for a new educational pack last Thursday.

Dartmouth Academy students from Years 7 and 8 took part in the day as part of their Activities Week, tracing the footsteps of the Victorian-age Dartmouth irornmonger, artist and scientist William Cumming Henley.

Students started their day in the classroom learning about Henley before heading to Dartmouth Museum, which contains various items from his life, called the Henley Collection.

In the third and final part of the day, students were led around the town, along the newly established Henley Trail, which includes various locations in the town connected to his life.

The aim is to provide increased interactive outdoor learning, something the educational pack, produced by Dartmouth resident Ali Taylor and Dartmouth Museum, focuses on.

It also aims to teach pupils about some of the town's historic fugures.

Mrs Taylor, a retired teacher who formerly worked for an educational charity for 20 years and Thames Explorer Trail in London, was one of the members who took the students around the town.

'I approached Dartmouth Academy after discussions with the local museum', explained Mrs Taylor.

'When I first moved to Dartmouth, several years ago, I was blown away by how much history there was in such a concentrated area and William Henley was an ideal figure to hang the scheme on.  The trial day was to help test out a draft of educational materials I'd prepared for the Dartmouth Museum that encourages young people to investigate what life was like during Victorian times.'

Further trials have already been suggested on figures like Thomas Newcomen and the plan is to officially launch the pack, aimed at primary and lower secondary schools, in September.

Lisa Print, of Dartmouth Academy, who helped arrange the day, said 'Ali Taylor has put together a really interesting and good quality pack of sources from Victorian Dartmouth and Henley's life including photographs, census returns and maps.

'From these we were able to glean aspects of Henley's life that really reflected the Victorian age.

'The town trail was enjoyable and informative and we learnt a lot.

'I would thoroughly recommend Ali's education pack to schools and teachers as a vivid and interesting way of learning.'

Any teachers wanting more information can contact Ali Taylor via the Dartmouth Museum on 01803 832923 (during opening hours. If Ali is not on duty a message will be taken), or or by email to her using dartmouth@devonmuseums.net She's especially interested to hear from teachers who would like to organise group visits.

This article first appeared in The Dartmouth Chronicle on Friday 15 July 2011. The article and associated photograph are © the Dartmouth Chronicle and they are reproduced with their kind permission. They may not be reproduced without their express consent.