A TASTE of what life was like back in Elizabethan England was given to Clarendon Academy pupils to help with their GCSE's.

Last Friday, three volunteers from the Trowbridge museum brought history to life for four Year 10 classes as part of a school project focused on the 16th century.

The workshop sessions involved the volunteers taking on different roles, the handling of Tudor objects, as well as question and answer sessions where pupils asked rich nobleman and poor peasants about life in those days.

Head of humanities, Ian Carse, said: "The pupils absolutely loved it. It was the first time the museum has done something like this and we felt it went brilliantly.

"Things like this are so beneficial for them. It was really like the Horrible Histories, it was that good.

"As a teacher it is great to see them respond so enthusiastically to this - we are already looking forward to our next one, Crime and Punishment, in January which links in with another module they will learn later on."

This is part of the museum's trial project, 'Onwards and Upwards', which they hope to expand on if they receive funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.