Telling Tales: Inspiring Creativity through the Myths, Legends, and Folklore of England

Abstract

ABSTRACT In 2019, the charity English Heritage adopted an organization-wide theme, “Telling Tales: The Myths, Legends and Folklore of England,” which sought to highlight the wealth of stories associated with the historic places in its care. In conjunction with this theme, the charity launched a two-stranded Education Beacon Project, which consisted of a national writing competition and regional activity opportunities for schools at English Heritage sites across England. Both strands inspired and enthused teachers and students with stories from England's past, serving to highlight how heritage sites can be used to stimulate learning across the curriculum. This article reviews this specific Education Beacon Project, offering insight into learning outcomes of the project both for participants and for English Heritage staff.