SCHOOL'S OUT

You were all correct with your comments to my last post. I had a lovely time. The children were great; really well behaved but not so good that they were boring...LOL Some of the children are classed as having "behavioural problems" but when I got home I had to ask Manda which ones they were as I couldn't spot any exceptional misbehaviour....I guess the day out of school suited these children. The members of staff were nice too so I honestly needn't have worried and would definitely do it again. We didn't mention to the children, for a while, my relationship to Manda and at one point Manda asked the children if they knew who I might be related to. They said "She looks a bit like you".....(sorry about that Manda!)......and when she said that I was her Mum they said I couldn't be because I looked to young!!! Bless them.....I could have forgiven them anything after that. I did feel sorry for them though...we were walking for almost 6 hours (save for a short lunch break) and as they all had to carry their own rucksacks,coats and lunch boxes plus clipboards and pencils they were all so tired by the end of the day.....I know I was. Because of the nature of political correctness and can dos and can't dos I can't actually print any photos of the children but here are a few photos of some of the things we saw today. I guess these should really be on my M.M.L.M.G. blog but I posted about the school trip on this blog so only right that I end it here.

15th century Salter's Hall...made of wattle and daub

The Mill Hotel....so named because it used to be a mill! The water wheel can still be seen turning, enclosed in glass, inside the hotels restaurant.
The mummified remains of a cat; originally buried alive to protect the mill from witches and warlocks. It was rediscovered in 1971 and bad luck follows if it is removed from the hotel. In 1999 it was removed and the road outside exploded, the manager's office flooded several times and the person who removed the cat met with an accident. All returned to normal when the cat was replaced.
The ramp that Nicole helped to make was put to good use by one of the pupils who has to use a wheelchair.

Gargoyle waterspout on St Gregory's Church. Simon Theobald a.k.a "Simon of Sudbury" (Archbishop of Canterbury 1375 - 1381)was born at Sudbury. He was beheaded during The Peasants Revolt. His body was afterwards buried in Canterbury Cathedral, though his head (after being taken down from London Bridge where it was piked) is still kept in St Gregory's Church.
The Leper's Altar; lepers from the nearby colony were not allowed in the church and this altar was built outside....communion was taken via the (now bricked up) window.
Memorial to US troops...486th Bombardment Group (H)
Memorial to troops killed in World Wars I and II...one of the children insisted that his father served in World War I....?????

Outside the old Gaol...now the Tourist information centre and museum. A well and cell are still to be seen in the cellar. The road it is in is called Gaol Lane.....when the children were asked what important building was situated in Gaol Lane the resounding answers were...the public toilets and Toymaster!!!!
This Cockerel used to stand on the top of St Peter's Church in the marketplace...it had to be removed during the war when the tower was lowered to allow for planes taking off from the nearby airfield.
Thomas Gainsborough...Sudbury's famous son. A Statue of him stands on Market Hill and there is also a museum dedicated to him.
Sudbury is also famous for its silk mills. The material for Princess Di's wedding dress was made here.
This beacon is one of many; lit to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada

One of the highlights of the day...swan and cygnets.

Didn't the children learn a lot today? I was quite chuffed as the teacher told Manda I did really well with children and she thought I must have worked in a school before!!! Ermmmm......6 weeks holiday in the Summer...now there's an idea!