Kryal Castle Excursion

After homeroom on March 20, 204 excited Year 8’s ventured to Kryal Castle in Ballarat to experience a simulated Medieval experience of life in the Middle Ages. When we arrived, we were greeted by the staff at the castle, who were all dressed in medieval costume to match our own. There was an amazing range of knights, ladies & lords, peasants, court jesters and noblemen.

The point of today was to show us what it really felt like to live in Medieval times. The teachers can teach us everything they know in class, but they can’t teach us the feeling of watching a jousting match, or the taste of rosemary, and so it was interesting to touch the weaponry, to feel the weight and learn all about punishments given for certain crimes.

We participated in eight different activities throughout the day: archery, apothecary, siege warfare, arms and armoury , noble lifestyles, sword fighting, peasantry, executioner.

After our first four activities, we grabbed our lunch and made our way to the arena to watch a professional jousting match. Just watching the two knights ride at each other at full speed, with their lances drawn and pointing at each other was enough to have us all on the edge of our seats. When the first lances were broken, everyone in the crowd joined in on an “oooooh” that rang through the auditorium. It was a masterful display of skill and precision.

After our remaining afternoon activities, we were all content though ready to go home and share our stories of how we lived during our day at Kryal Castle, glad that we could return to an easier life in the C21.

Special thanks to staff for coming along and joining in the fun and to Mr Pannuzzo for organizing the activities.

Emily Green 8 Owen

Comments from other Students:

The sound of the lances shattering was awesome. (Nathan Reed)

Kryal Castle was fabulous; the jousting especially because it was really entertaining when they charged in and hit the wood onto their shields. It was a really great day. (Sam McGlynn)

I enjoyed watching the jousting and loved getting scared with my friends down stairs in the execution centre. (Lachlan Verlin)

I enjoyed doing the sword fighting and reinacting a siege of enemy knights. (Grace Butler)

I really enjoyed watching the two knights in the jousting tournament. I thought that it was a whole different experience to watching it happen in videos. They were very accurate. (Joshua Abbott)

It was so realistic; like walking back in time. (Laura Maertzdorf)

I thought the experience at Kryal castle was awesome. (Cameron Donald)