Leggi e ascolta.
Important historical
sites in the UK
Skara Brae, Scotland
In 1850, there was a terrible storm in the Orkney Islands,
Scotland. The rain eroded the side of a hill in the Bay of
Skail. After the storm, people found the stone walls of an
ancient village under the hill. Today, we call this Neolithic
village Skara Brae.
People first lived there between 3,200 and 2,500BC, so it’s
older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Archaeologists
discovered eight houses at Skara Brae, and each of them is
about 40 square metres. The villagers of Skara Brae only
had stone tools to work with, but their houses had different
rooms and stone furniture like beds and cupboards!
At the visitor centre and museum, you can learn about
life at Skara Brae and see a copy of a house from 5,000
years ago. Tickets are £6.90, and after your visit, you can
relax at the café and gift shop.
High Five Exam Trainer
. Oral presentation 2, Culture: Historical places
p. 42
© Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE
Saul Church, Northern Ireland
There is a beautiful, little church at Saul, in County Down,
Northern Ireland. It was built in 1932, but it’s a copy of a
very early Christian church from the days of St Patrick – the
patron saint of Ireland. St Patrick arrived in Ireland about
420AD, and the chief of Saul gave him some land to start
Ireland’s first Christian community.
It’s free to visit the church. After your visit you can climb
the hill to see an enormous statue of St Patrick. There isn’t
a visitor centre, shop or café near the church, but you can
easily walk to the town of Downpatrick, about 3 km away.
In Downpatrick, you can see St Patrick’s tomb and visit the
St Patrick Centre. Did you know that St Patrick used an Irish
plant called the shamrock to teach people about the Trinity?
That’s why Irish people wear the shamrock on 17th March –
St Patrick’s Day.
High Five Exam Trainer
. Oral presentation 2, Culture: Historical places
p. 42
© Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE
Runnymede, England
The fields of Runnymede are next to the River Thames,
about 30 km from London. Today, they are a great place
for a picnic or a walk. But on 15th June, 1215, John, the King
of England, was at Runnymede when he signed the most
important document in British history: the Magna Carta.
The Magna Carta limited the King’s power, and gave
rights to the English people for the first time. For
example, it said “nobody can punish a free man unless he
breaks the law”. The Magna Carta is still part of British law
today, and lots of other countries have copied its ideas for
their constitutions.
Presidents from around the world often visit the Magna
Carta memorial at Runnymede. There is also a war
memorial and a memorial to President John F Kennedy.
You can’t see a copy of the Magna Carta there, but you can
download the Magna Carta app on your smartphone to learn
all about it on the Internet!
High Five Exam Trainer
. Oral presentation 2, Culture: Historical places
p. 42
© Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE