HEURISTICS “TO
2010!
LEAR N
BY
D I S C O V E R Y ”!
Proposed festival programme Welcome to a weekend with Hester and Thomas as they explore the vast history of games played in this country over the last 2,000 years such as : ! ! ! !
Bandy ! -! Skittles! -! ! ! Bowling! -!
a hockey-like game, with few rules, possibly played in Ancient Greece earliest drawings depict throwing missiles at standing logs - you won’t believe how many variations there are now from the most simple idea of throwing stones to the modern pin table
We will have over 40 different games for you to play all day - this isn’t an area just for children. It’s for the child within. In addition, Thomas will be helping you understand some of the great inventions that have changed your world. ! ! !
Your modern vehicle will show you how far you have travelled today, but the hodometer is described in 85BC. The use of wind and water to produce power is still not fully explored despite 2,000 years of technology. Until circa 1380AD in this country, every day had 12 hours of daylight, so how did we cope with a changing hour?
All this and more, as we spend the weekend exploring the development of ancient technologies and inventions.
BANDY
BOWLING
SHOVELBOARD
Games for all ages With such a huge number of games played and adapted over the centuries it would be impossible to produce a show which includes everything. Festival 2010 will offer a selection of games that may be played by children or/and adults. Whether they be physical as in trials of strength, mock combat and chasing games, or board games requiring mental ability and agility everyone has played games of one sort or another at some time in their life. It is the one area that easily crosses the barriers of language and distance, connecting people of all age groups with our ancestors. The time and place for the playing of games was dictated by the seasons, the Church and Parliament. Henry VIII tried on more than one occasion to ban a variety of games and in 1526 made an unsuccessful attempt to ban games altogether causing ‘Tables, Dice, Cards and Bowles’ to be ‘taken and burnt’. The painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder in 1560 is a wonderful historical record of games past and present.
Throughout the weekend in addition to being able to explore and play the games, there will be short presentations about their origins and development. From the earliest board game, merrills, (possibly 1500BC found carved on a roof tile of the Egyptian temple at Kurna. Still played today but more commonly known as ‘nine mens morris’) to t h e Vi c t o r i a n i n v e n t i o n o f ‘Tiddledywinks’
C ROK INOL E
or games of chance such as ‘Hoca’ - incredibly popular during the Tudor period and team games like ‘bandy’ (with its early depictions on Greek vases) or ‘polo’ which may be a derivation of bandy but played on horses (we will use hobby-horses) and ‘stool ball’ which is becoming popular again today, but one of its earlier variations probably became cricket.
F RO G ( C O I N P I T C H I N G )
Hester and Thomas will be on hand to answer all your questions.
Pieter Breughel the Elder paints CHILDRENS GAMES circa 1560
SKITTL ES & B AG ATEL L E C OMBIN ED
B AG ATEL LE ( O R I G I N AT E S F RO M B OW L I N G )
HOC A
G A M E S T H RO U G H H I S TO RY
MANY OF THE GAMES WE PLAY TODAY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED OVER HUNDREDS OR EVEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO NOT ONLY SEE BUT ACTUALLY PLAY THEM AS YOUR ANCESTORS DID. HOW DID BOWLING, FROM THE MIDDLE AGES, BECOME YOUR MODERN PIN-BALL MACHINE?
IN VE NTI O NS T HAT C H A N G E D T H E WO R L D
Thomas looks at some inventions that have changed your life TO NAME BUT A FEW 1. HODOMETER 2. WATERMILL 3. WATERCLOCK 4. SPINNING WHEEL 5. ASTROLABE 6. GROMA 7. MECHANICAL CLOCK 8. WINDMILL 9. CAMERA OBSCURA 10. MANGONEL
Craftsmen through time have invested much of their time creating new ways of working. Some devoted their lives to science and invention, much of which we take for granted today. But technology doesn’t have to be complicated in order to be effective. During this festival of history, Thomas will present just some of the early inventions that we just couldn't have managed without.
clock that also has a built in calendar (incredibly accurate). Water clocks stay in fashion until the invention of the mechanical clock circa 1280AD. Come and join in as Thomas builds each of these devices for you.
Similarly you can watch the development of the watermill to our hydro-electric schemes, or how the spinning of fibre changes over 11,000 3,500 years before the birth of Christ in years, starting with finger spinning and a region called Sumer, the Sumerians on to 1521AD when the spinning wheel were using shadow sticks to measure reaches a stage that we can still the passage of the sun. By 1500BC we recognise in the modern mill. see the development of the Clepsydra, a You can also use a mediaeval siege simple water clock, and just 250BC a weapon to a attack the castle. man called Ctesibius invents a water
WIND & WATER POWER A WATERMILL THAT DEMONSTRATES SIMPLE GRIST (GRAIN) MILLING BLACKSMITHS FORGE FULLING MILL AND A POST-MILL FROM 1181 AD
MEASURING MEASURE LONG DISTANCES USING A HODOMETER ANGLES AND DIRECTION WITH GROMA DIOPTRA ASTROLABE
TIME SHADOW STICK CLEPSYDRA WATERCLOCK 250 BC WATERCLOCK 809 AD MECHANICAL CLOCK GALILEOS PENDULUM
!
!
!
“to learn by discovery”
HEURISTICS May 2010
Kenilworth Castle
www.heuristics.org.uk
Mediaeval life at Kenilworth Castle ALL THIS AND GAMES TO PLAY AS WELL CASTLE BUILDING
( APPROX 1 HOUR)
In 1265, Prince Edward (later Edward I) layed siege to the occupants of Kenilworth Castle. Come and hear the story, " Build the castle, " " Use siege weapons to destroy it.
FUN WITH MEDICINE (30 - 60 MIN)
model castle built by the children
The Lady Catherine de Hesterburg (otherwise known as ‘the wise woman’) has many cures to demonstrate to you. Unfortunately her manservant Tomas never seems to get it right and will have to pay the consequences.
A HISTORY OF TIME (30 MIN)
From a ‘shadow stick’ of 3,500BC to the invention of the mechanical clock, we had 12 hours of daylight every day. This means that an hour would vary in length.
model mangonel to lay siege to castle
Fun with medicine !!
Come and see the invention of the first mechanical clock as Tomas builds one before your very eyes.
First mechanical clock - circa 1280 AD
Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk
"
"
"
Games to play all day
Just a small sample of many games available this weekend
Shovelboard - one of the great favourites
Skittles
Table games of all descriptions
Marbles Bridge - suitable for all ages
Bandy - like hockey but without rules
Hoca (the forerunner of roulette)
Ferses - the modern games is draughts
Suitable for all ages. Let the child within come out to play for a while. Quoits
Bowling
Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk
!
!
!
“to learn by discovery”
HEURISTICS June 2010
www.heuristics.org.uk
Seafaring show at Brodsworth Hall ALL THIS AND GAMES TO PLAY AS WELL
A full day of planned activities and presentations plus • games to play Model ships for the children to wear, complete with cannon on deck
• target practise with the cannons • climbing the mast • using the navigation instruments
Try your hand at tying knots
Navigation instruments
• knot tying • set sail in the model ships
Royal Charles under attack
Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk
!
Event timetable
12.00
Signalling
1.00
Royal Charles
2.00
Navigation
3.00
Family Relay
4.00
Shanties
Children telling the story of the Royal Charles
Traverse board
Signalling A history of signalling from Ancient Greece through to early 19th century. Filled with information and handson activities. Royal Charles The story of the life of this great ship and how it was snatched from under our very nose. What did Samuel Pepys have to say about it? A story told by the children in graphic detail as they sail in the ships. Navigation Learn how to use a ships log - why do we measure speed in knots - read the compass rose - what is the traverse board - how does a sextant work. An amazing presentation as the children leap overboard in order to measure our speed. Family relay A punishing schedule of activity as family take on family in a race to capture the enemy ship. Time to put in to practice all you have learned today. Shanties Time for the children to haul in the anchor. All hands on deck as we sing the traditional shanties.
signalling & knots
Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk
"
"
"
Games to play all day
Just a small sample of many games available this weekend
Shovelboard - one of the great favourites
Skittles
Table games of all descriptions
Original bagatelle
Shut the box
Devil among the tailors
Ferses table
Suitable for all ages. Let the child within come out to play for a while. Quoits
Bowling
Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk
!
!
!
“to learn by discovery”
HEURISTICS 2010
www.heuristics.org.uk
Pub Games for our 60’s weekend PUB GAMES (30 MIN)
Hester and Thomas
A look at some of the great games played all across our country 50 years ago. We will show you ours if you will tell us yours.
WHEN I WAS YOUNG ( APPROX 30MIN)
Beer was how much? but that’s less than 10p !! You can’t buy that any more..... Do you remember when....... Come and have a ramble through the 60’s as Thomas and Hester bring the good old days back to life.
Skiffle
Chuckie
TAKE YOUR PICK (30 MIN)
A return to the ‘Yes/No interlude’ when the wrong answer gets you gonged out. Then go on to ‘take the money’ or ‘open the box’. A fun look at a 60’s favourite.
TIME FOR SKIFFLE (30 MIN):
With a simple tea chest, a washboard, paper and comb - we will bring the place to life. Come and have a go or just sing along to your old favourites.
Bat ‘ n ‘ trap Take your Pick Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk
"
"
"
Games to play all day Just a small sample of many games available this weekend Shovelboard - one of the great favourites
Skittles
Marbles Bridge - suitable for all ages
Skittles
Bandy - like hockey but without rules
Hoca (the forerunner of roulette)
draughts
Suitable for all ages. Let the child within come out to play for a while. Quoits
Bowling
Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk
HEURISTICS
“to learn by discovery”
Every era has its favourite pub games and the 60’s is no exception, but that which is popular in one region may completely alien in another. Perhaps the greatest example would be skittles, although played in most areas the shape size and rules vary enormously. In mediaeval England you would have found pieces of wood stood whilst another piece was flung at them - known as “loggits” but this progresses to ‘long alley’ - ‘bar skittles’ - ‘aunt sally’ - ‘Northampton skittles’. Some played on alleys 10 metres long whilst others on a table-top in the corner of a pub. We will have many examples for you to play.
with 9 holes at the end in which to aim a ball, whereas, in most other parts of the country you would think of a small board with a spring-loaded plunger and randomly belting a metal ball to gain a high score. But which is the original bagatelle. All will be revealed if you come along and play both.
If you live in Chester and someone m e n t i o n s p l a y i n g ‘ b a g a t e l l e ’ yo u immediately think of a table 3 metres long
TELL US YOUR FAVOURITES
Bagatelle
Games of skill or games of chance, each have their place in the history of games playing in our country. SUITABLE FOR YOUNG AND OLD COME AND PLAY
The Frog
Heuristics, PO Box 5514, Matlock, DE4 5ZP | 07860 966251 | www.heuristics.org.uk