The Fieldwork

First Thoughts
Before embarking on their investigation of the castle, and as an introduction to the idea of using the historical context as an aid to interpreting the site, the children were asked to make some simple 'predictions' based on information from Gerald Gabb's introduction.

This took the form of a worksheet, What Would You Expect to Find? containing several statements about events surrounding the building and later development of the castle and, beside each, a question asking the children what they might expect to find on the site if each statement were true. This reversal of the use of context is, of course, completely unhistorical. However, it was not meant as part of the investigation proper - rather as a simple method of linking the introductory talk to the field investigation.

The children were then taken on a tour of the castle, following the route indicated in the Tour Guide. Tour 'guides' restricted themselves to descriptions of what could be seen and, by 'internal editing' of information in the Tour Guide, resisted the temptation to interpret the visible remains for the children. The children were encouraged to ask questions on the way round. These were recorded and discussed, often at length, but not 'answered' at this stage.

The Investigation
Having completed the necessary preparations, the pupils were divided into three groups and the groups were then dispatched, each to investigate its own 'area'.

Each group was given a set of stimulus questions or 'scenario' to get them started, based on queries raised on the initial tour eg. A Report on the Defences of Oystermouth Castle. During this activity, each group was asked to comment on anything they thought significant and to note down any details about which they were unsure. At the end of the exercise, the three groups were required to report back in whichever way they thought appropriate. Where possible, photographs were taken of key features identified by each group for use back in school.

Important Note: The battlements at Oystermouth castle are high and not too well protected. It is therefore imperative that all necessary precautions are taken by teachers to ensure that any groups of children who need to walk the battlements (eg. to investigate aspects of 'attack and defence') are accompanied at all times. It will also be necessary to ensure that the visit as a whole is covered by accident insurance.

Reporting the Results of the Investigation
Back in school, the pupils were asked to write up their fieldwork notes in the form of an extended piece of writing. They were given additional source material (see following links) that enabled them either to support their observations or to add information not immediately available from their visit to the site.

1. Castle Vocabulary
2. Building a Castle

Using all of the available information, they were then able to produce structured accounts based upon the four key areas of investigation:

The Siting of the Castle
Attack and Defence
Life in the Castle
The Castle and the Community

Evaluating a Modern Interpretation of the Site
The pupils were then shown a reconstructional drawing of the castle produced by Roger Parmiter, showing what the castle might have looked like at its largest extent in the early 14th century. They were then asked, as with the previous reconstruction, to indicate how far the drawing was supported by their own site observations

1. Reconstruction of Oystermouth Castle
2. Reconstruction Worksheet

Placing the Site in its Historical Context
The pupils were then shown Bernard Morris's developmental reconstruction, showing the growth of Oystermouth castle between the 12th and 14th centuries. Against each of Morris's 'stages', they were asked to say how the interpretation is supported by their own observations, and by what they knew about the history of the castle over this period.

1. The Development of Oystermouth Castle
2. How Did the Castle Develop? Worksheet

Comparing Oystermouth with Other Castles
This part of the exercise could be completed, either by comparison of Oystermouth with a similar castle (eg. Weobley), or a very different one (eg. Kidwelly, Oxwich or Caerphilly). In each case, aspects of the historical context need to be compared as well as those of the site itself

The desired outcome is that pupils come to understand - by means of a detailed comparison of similarities and differences - that castles were built for different reasons, were designed in different ways and performed different functions.

Ideally, a second visit should be undertaken but the comparison does not strictly depend on this.

Oystermouth Castle index