PUPILS from Ogbourne St George and St Andrew Primary School enjoyed a living history lesson when they paid a visit to the Merchant's House in Marlborough on Friday.

The children in Years 5 and 6 have been studying the Tudors and Stuarts, and went along to the Merchant's House to see how a late 17th century family would have lived.

The group of 22 children, all wearing costumes with headdresses they had made themselves, were accompanied by their teacher, Gina Cooke, and head teacher Judith Evans.

Mrs Evans said: "We spent the whole day at the house having a typical Stuart Christmas."

The children played games and took part in dances of the period, which helped to bring their school studies to life, said Mrs Evans.

They had a visit from a Cromwellian priest pursuant played by David Sherratt, one of the Merchant House trustees, who told the children he was in search of a hidden Jesuit priest.

Mrs Evans said the pupils were able to convince Cromwell's agent that there was no priest secreted in the house in Marlborough, and he would be better off looking in the Ogbourne St George area.