Y12 English Literature Trip to London

Miss Hitchens with this:

“On Friday, Miss Spencer and I took the Year 12 English Literature students to London. We began the day taking the train to Euston, where we then headed to Green Park. We timed this brilliantly for the Changing of the Guard and to take some pictures of Buckingham Palace.

After a lovely stroll through St. James’ Park, we headed to Whitehall and visited the Banqueting House to see where Charles I was executed. We spent time taking in the fabulous Rubens ceiling which celebrated the Divine Right of Kings – a notion central to John Milton’s attack on monarchical ‘demi-gods’ during the Civil War and an inspiration for Paradise Lost, one of the exam texts.

London is all the more stunning in sunshine: after the disappointment of a scaffold-hidden Big Ben, we headed for the South Bank and walked towards the Globe theatre. A lovely lunch in the air-conditioning of Pizza Express was enjoyed before we took to our seats and witnessed an extraordinary, gender-fluid performance of Hamlet (another exam text). Michelle Terry – the Globe’s new artistic director – was a great Hamlet and the ‘nunnery scene’ was impressive.

After the joy of the Tube on a hot day at rush hour, it was time for home. Limited communication at Euston did mean a magical mystery tour of West Midlands train stations; however it did make arriving at Crewe all the more exciting!

Thank you Year 12 for a wonderful day; your interest and engagement – and general good cheer – made it a trip well worthwhile!”