A Walk Through Time activity sheets
Click here to find a programme of curriculum linked classroom activities and resources to support the ‘A walk through time’ resource.
Download activity sheetsThe term Viking refers to all the pagan peoples of Scandinavia who spoke a Germanic language called Old Norse. They lived in Denmark, Norway and Sweden and were mostly farmers, fisherpeople and hunters. They traded regularly with the rest of mainland Europe. Restricted by the natural resources available in their homelands they came to England in search of better farmland.
Much of our knowledge of the Viking raids on Canterbury comes from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was a year-by-year account of events in England begun in the eighth century by an English King called Alfred and later continued by others. It was written by monks. There are many copies of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and they all have slightly different accounts of what happened.
When they had explored the borough completely, they went to their ships and took the Archbishop with themAnglo-Saxon Chronicle
High up above the Bible window are three twelfth century roundels telling the story of the Viking siege of Canterbury and the subsequent taking of Alphege. The top roundel shows the Vikings besieging Canterbury. The bottom right hand roundel shows Alphege trying to stop the Viking attack. The bottom left hand roundel shows Alphege captured being taken away on a Viking ship. There are thought to have originally been three further roundels which completed the story.
After his death, the body of Alphege was brought back to Canterbury. His shrine (a place believed to be holy because of its association with a person or event) was next to the high altar. An inscription now marks the place.
In the East Window (1896) you can see Alphege as Archbishop. In the West Window (1903) there is a depiction of his murder.
Click here to find a programme of curriculum linked classroom activities and resources to support the ‘A walk through time’ resource.
Download activity sheets© Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral