Many of the troubles of modern day society are mirrored throughout 1066 with enough examples of invasion, terrorist acts and subjugation for comparison. That fateful year also can also be contemplated and argued as a lesson in business strategy and administration. 1066 is right on so many different fronts.

In writing The Saxon Times some fun stuff was added too; adverts, medical pages, cooking pages and a few insights from the ‘people’. Events such as the report by the BBC that the ‘Battle of Hastings sword failed to sell at auction’ and ‘the discovery at Lewes of the skeletal remains of a man believed to have been injured at the battle’ are all be woven into the fabric of the paper.

The use of a newspaper style to record historic events allows a more introspective view of the circumstances and, together with ‘expert’ comments, enables a more inclusive look at 1066.

The Saxon Times forms an important link in the history of 1066 for KS3.

The newspaper is look at how the events of 1066 may have been reported and records ‘eye-witness’ reports of the events surrounding the death of Edward the Confessor, the coronation of King Harold II, the events led to the Battle of Hastings, 14th October 1066 and the subsequent conquest of England through the eyes of The Saxon Times reporters.

The Saxon Times addresses key skills in interpretation, evaluation and explanation of the changes that occurred in 1066 Anglo-Saxon England.

The Saxon Times is written to allow students to:

• Understand the history of 1066 in a coherent and chronological order
• Identify the strategies and key personnel that influenced events of 1066
• Provide a wider knowledge of Anglo-Saxon England, Normandy, Europe and the wider world in the context of 1066
• Evaluate the political alliances and understand how decisions were effected and the cause and effect of these decisions on the events of 1066
• Contrast and compare Norman and Anglo-Saxon Society
• Enable wider discussion, contrasting arguments and interpretation of the events of 1066
• Compare the events of 1066 to current 21^st century topics

There is the opportunity to reflect upon:

• Norman and Anglo-Saxon politics
• Norman and Anglo-Saxon strategies
• The claimants to the English throne
• The Battles of Fulford and Stamford Bridge
• The Battle of Hastings
• The conquest of England
• Duke William’s advance on London

Extension work includes the opportunity to:

• Create their own newspaper
• Write articles for The Saxon Times
• Write the stories behind the headlines
• Create advertisements for employment, everyday items, recipes and medicinal cures
• Imagine life as a Norman or Anglo-Saxon, a noble, a soldier or a peasant.

Some Suggested Overarching Key Enquires:

• Why did the Normans win the Battle of Hastings?
• Who were the claimants to the English Throne?
• Why did Duke William take the long route to London?
• Why did Duke William need the blessing of the Pope?
• What was the timeline for the Battle of Hastings?
• What was the timeline for Duke William’s advance on London?

Resources

The Saxon Times is available in individual editions, for wall display and classroom handouts, and each issue is a brief summary of the day’s Saxon Times news from 1066  as it happened with editorial, comment, features, foreign news, and special editions to bring the events to life.

The Saxon Times is also available as an A4 size paperback, published by Bretwalda Books, with the full stories behind the headlines for the whole year.

Resources are available through TES Resources and by mail order from History Walks.

www.1066haroldsway.co.uk

This article was first published on Linked In 22nd February 2017