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Framlingham Castle

English Heritage School Trips

Why book 'Framlingham Castle' with English Heritage for School Trips and Educational Visits?

Framlingham is a magnificent example of late 12th-century castle. Book a free self-led visit to explore the inside of the castle walls through the main gatehouse and complete the 'wall walk' along the top of the castle.

Our education offer at Framlingham Castle encompasses a visit to a historically important and fascinating castle which spans nearly 1,000 years of history.

KS1 History: Significant historical events, people and places in the locality. Study of castles

KS2 History: A local history study. Britain's settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots. A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils' chronological knowledge beyond 1066

KS2 Geography: Human geography: types of settlement and land use. Understand the strategic significance of the castle’s position

KS3 History: A local history study. The development of Church, state and society in Britain 1066-1509 and 1509-1745. The Magna Carter and emergence of parliament

KS3 Geography: Human geography: Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes. Understand the strategic significance of the castle’s position

KS4 History: OCR Specification A; study of the historic environment: 'Castles: Form and Function c.1000-1750'

Teacher Checklist

Risk Assessments
Free Places for Teachers
Free Places for Students
Resource Packs

What activities are available during group visits?

Through the main gatehouse, Framlingham Castle has a large open space within the castle walls to explore features such as the Medieval Hall that once stood here. The wall walk allows pupils to explore all thirteen of the towers around the complete circumference of Framlingham Castle, and the exhibition room within Framlingham's Poorhouse has information about the history of the castle, as well as interactive activities.

You can also download our free teaching resources to help support learning before, during and after your visit

Which Curriculum Subjects do you cater for?

Medieval

Medieval Society and Feudalism

Framlingham Castle was built by the Bigods, a powerful Norman family in the 12th century. The first stone buildings at the site were probably the work of Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk (d.1177). But it was under his successor, Roger Bigod II (d.1221), that the huge stone curtain walls we see today were built.

Framlingham is a magnificent example of late 12th-century castle. Book a free self-led visit to explore the inside of the castle walls through the main gatehouse, complete the 'wall walk' along the top of the castle, and learn about the history of Framlingham Castle from the illustrated display.

Tudors

Restoration Period Henry VIII Religious Conflict Catholics and Protestants

Through the disgrace of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Framlingham came into the hands of Mary Tudor, elder daughter of Henry VIII, in 1552. It was around this time that the castle played a key role in a succession crisis.

Although the Catholic Princess Mary had been named Edward VI’s heir by their father, the young Edward attempted to surrender the throne to the Protestant Lady Jane Grey. On Edward’s death on 6 July 1553, the Duke of Northumberland moved to secure the throne for Lady Jane, his daughter-in-law. Learning of Northumberland’s plans to capture her, Mary fled to Framlingham to gather her troops, arriving there on 12 July. Thousands of her supporters flocked to the castle.

It was while she was at the castle that Mary received the news that Northumberland had surrendered and she had been proclaimed England’s first ruling queen. One of her first acts as ruler was to restore the estates and dukedom to the Howards.

Use our Activity Pack on a free self-led visit to explore the story further!

Human Geography topics: Settlement and land use, Economic activity and trade, Natural resources.

Saxons topics: Invaders and Settlers.

What size groups do you cater for?

There are generally no limits to the size of education group, provided the group meets our ratios for leaders to learners. Our Discovery Visit workshops are suitable for groups of up to 30. Please see our school visit terms and conditions on our website for further details.

Do you offer on-site classroom facilities?

Many of our sites have education rooms that can be booked. Please check the relevant schools property page before making a booking.

Is there first aid on site?

Yes.

Do you offer access for visitors with disabilities?

Yes – please see our website for further details.

Do you cater for visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)?

Our facilities have been designed to be as accessible as possible in order to meet the different needs of our visitors. A summary of the facilities provided can be found on our schools property pages. If you or anyone in your group has particular access needs, please let us know at the point of booking or get in touch with our bookings team before you visit. Please note that some facilities may require booking in advance.

Who are English Heritage?

English Heritage cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites - from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles, from Roman forts on the edges of the empire to a Cold War bunker. Through these, we bring the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year, over 300,000 of whom are education visitors.
We’re the largest heritage provider of school trips and provide a wealth of free educational resources, alongside expert-led, paid-for workshops for KS1-4. The high-quality of our education provision has been recognised most recently with a number of Sandford awards. Caring for our places and their collections, for the benefit of this and future generations is a cornerstone of everything we do.
We are a charity, no. 1140351, and a company, no. 07447221