Pupils sing their way into history with a little help from the Vikings

SONGS inspired by York's Viking past were performed by school children yesterday as part of a nationwide attempt to counter a worrying lack of knowledge about Britain's heritage.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Jun 2010, 12:09 BST
Updated 22nd Jun 2010, 12:09 BST

Pupils from Wigginton Primary School performed on board a bus which stopped off at the city's Jorvik Viking Centre during a nationwide tour which has been launched after a survey revealed major gaps in the nation's knowledge about Britain's history.

The research showed that nearly half of 18 to 24-year-olds did not know that the Romans built Hadrian's Wall, while 45 per cent of the same age group were unaware that Nelson led the country to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

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A national singing programme, called Sing Up, has joined forces with some of the UK's best-loved heritage sites and museums to help children to learn through the school trip singalongs. York was the fifth stop on the nationwide tour which includes the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and Stonehenge.

Five songs, composed for the Jorvik Viking Centre by Sharon Durant, are helping pupils learn more about the attraction's links to the Viking age.

The pupils yesterday sang songs such as Viking Round and Viking Words – referring to the impact the era had on shaping the English language of today.

Related topics:YorkVikingsBritainNelson