Our 11s pupils (Year 7) recently visited Strawberry Hill House as part of their English Department’s work on Gothic literature. The trip supported their current classroom study of the unit and gave pupils the chance to see first-hand the building created by Horace Walpole, whose novel The Castle of Otranto is often considered the first Gothic novel. The house’s distinctive architecture and decorative features offered a useful backdrop for pupils to think about how setting can shape a story.
Upper Sixth English student Ioanna, below, joined the staff on the visit too. With a strong personal interest in Gothic literature and an intention to study this period further at university, she was a valuable addition to the group. She threw herself into the activities—dressing up alongside the pupils and engaging fully with them throughout the day.
During the visit, pupils took part in a drama workshop and a creative writing session that encouraged them to experiment with ideas for their own Gothic stories. Their tour of Strawberry Hill House was led in part by staff in costume, who took on character roles as they guided pupils through the rooms and explained aspects of the house’s history and design. Pupils also created simple Gothic comic-strip scenes using digital tools provided at the venue, a selection of which can be seen in our photo gallery below.
To view a gallery of more photos
By the end of the day, the 11s returned to school with a clearer sense of how the Gothic genre works and a range of ideas to draw on as they begin writing their own pieces this term.
