Introducing Martin, Learning Officer at Windsor Castle

Hello! Please introduce yourself and tell us a little more about what you do on the Great West Way.

My name is Martin and I work for Royal Collection Trust as a Learning Officer at Windsor Castle. My main role is to make sure school and family groups visiting the Castle have an enjoyable educational visit. The Castle certainly has the wow factor with its soaring battlements, gold gilt chambers and of course real Royal Guards, so for many of our young visitors their trip to Windsor Castle is a highlight of their school year!

What do you love most about working at Windsor Castle?

This is quite a hard question, as I work with young people there are many rewarding parts. What I enjoy the most is leading our Living History weekends because I get to be really creative with the content of the events as the Castle has a staggering 1000 years of history to inspire us. Courtesy of Lieutenant General Philip Jones, Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle, this year families will be able to visit the Moat Garden, which is usually private. On 27-28 June during “Medieval Mayhem” there will be real medieval knights, ladies and falconers for families to meet. For “Windsor at War” on 25 -26 July, we are having a Second World War Day with the Homeguard of Dad’s Army fame and our glamorous 1940s singer! On 12-13 September, King Charles I will be returning to the Castle in our Civil War Day “Royalists and Rebels”. All these events will be filled with dynamic displays and fun family activities.

The Learning Team at Royal Collection Trust

The Learning Team is one of Royal Collection Trust’s smaller teams, but we have a big impact. I work with my colleagues Sophie, Sarah and Gordon to deliver programming for schools and families at Windsor Castle, but we also have teams that cover other audiences. Amy and Tori have an Access and Community programme making the Castle more accessible for those with disabilities and more welcoming for diverse groups. Lexi and Hannah deliver lectures and activities for adults and Richard engages with other museums and groups to deliver colloquiums and talks for academic circles. Our small team produces something for everyone.

A Typical Day working at Windsor Castle

A usual day at the Learning Centre begins with getting all the school groups into the Castle - we sometimes have 6-9 schools coming in with accompanying adults. I then normally teach about 3 back-to-back workshops to school groups. Depending on the workshop, children get the opportunity to try on armour, handle Victorian antiques or even recreate a medieval siege complete with model battering rams and trebuchets, which are a type of medieval war machine that used a long arm on one end and a weight on the other to throw heavy stones at castle walls to break them down. Pupils in the younger years can explore the State Apartments looking for Naughty Dragons in our storytelling session “Once upon a Castle”. You need a lot of energy! Our workshops are free and don’t cost extra on top of schools’ ticket price.

The afternoon is spent organising bespoke school or family events ready for the next holidays. During holiday time we deliver arts and craft activities inspired by stories of the Castle and the work of the Monarchy. This summer we are celebrating the Commonwealth Games and naturally we will be doing our own with hobby horses and child-sized archery sets!  Visitors can join for free as part of their Castle visit.

What Do you Find Inspiring Day-to-Day? What Keeps the Enthusiasm Going?

It’s inspiring to see how places of cultural importance like Windsor Castle can bring so much passion and enthusiasm out of young people. It’s a testament to how important culture is and how vital opening places like this creates a sense of shared heritage and enrichment for younger generations.

As someone who loves history, I’m enthusiastic about Windsor Castle, just when I think I’ve seen everything I discover more. The Castle is filled with so many treasures. St George’s Chapel is the finest example of English Perpendicular architecture, the Quire is filled with gorgeous medieval woodwork, and it’s fun to look out for carved foxes, geese, green-men amongst the benches or miserichords. Just think, after work I can just walk straight into Evensong and sit in the stalls of the Garter Knights and take part in a beautiful sung service, wow!

Insider Tips when visiting Windsor

Have you ever thought of visiting by water? You can get some of the best views of Windsor Castle and the surrounding countryside from the River Thames. You can hire paddleboards, canoes or kayaks, or bring your own. Amongst the idyllic reedbeds you can see lots of wildlife such as damselflies, whole flocks of swans (don’t get too close!) great crested grebes or see red deer on the banks as you pass through the park. You might even be lucky enough to see kingfishers or otters.

Any Hidden Gems you'd Recommend along the Great West Way?

You can learn so much about England’s history along the Great West Way, it’s not just about the big famous places like Stonehenge or Windsor Castle, there are so many amazing little hidden gems. I personally love exploring churches and there are so many filled with hidden treasures from the Middle Ages. Take for instance Ewelme church, the alabaster tomb of Alice de Chaucer (the granddaughter of the famous author Geoffrey Chaucer) is one of the most beautiful sculptures from the 15^th C - a tomb worthy of Westminster but sited in just a village church. Nearer to Windsor you can go to St Mary’s de Boveney - a quaint little church which once catered for punters on the river. Another favourite is Silchester Roman Town near Reading - this has some of the best-preserved Roman walls in the country which is a gorgeous circuit to walk during the summer. You can see its amazing artefacts from the excavations in Reading Museum.