A TRADITIONAL-style Tudor thatched cottage helped bring history lessons alive for pupils from two Worcestershire schools.

Children at Worcester's Stanley Road Primary School and St Barnabas First and Middle School, in Drakes Broughton, near Pershore, experienced 16th Century life first-hand by building a replica of a timber-framed house.

The event took place at Greyfriars, a National Trust site in Friar Street, Worcester, and is part of a scheme to promote history by taking it out of the classroom.

"The National Trust approached us nine months ago and we have now linked up with St Barnabas," said Stanley Road Primary's headteacher Anne Potter.

"We are going to Drakes Broughton to learn about the countryside and they are coming here to see a bit of a city, so the common theme is housing.

"National Trust is helping us with the Tudor house at Greyfriars and it has been really good so far."

The 50 pupils were yesterday shown how to set up the wooden framework of the house and then experimented with wattle and daub - a clay and grass equivalent - to build the walls.

Both schools will revisit the site to complete the mock Tudor building, which will be around eight-feet tall when finished.

Group teacher Elaine Black said: "Despite getting soaked, we had a really good day.

"It really brought history to life for the pupils and the teachers were also seeing and hearing new things. It was great."

The Year 5 and 6 children from Stanley Road school are visiting their counterparts at St Barnabas today to continue the school link.

In June, an open day will be held to show off the completed house to the public.