Winchester’s 878 AD Interactive Experience was a Highlight for My Daughter During a Trip to Southeast England

Growing up in the United States, I learned little about the Anglo-Saxons in history class. There might have been a page or two in a textbook, but not much. And when schools spent any time on early Europeans, Vikings were usually focused on and glamorized for their sailing ingenuity.

A few years ago, I watched The Vikings, a TV series that was pretty good and entertaining. In the last episode of the series (spoiler alert), it didn’t end well for them. The Vikings met their match during the Battle of Edington when they went up against a great king, Alfred the Great. After I watched the series, I looked up a bit more about King Alfred and the Anglo-Saxons and how they fought off Viking attack after another. And then, I forgot all about my history lesson that was inspired by a TV show.

My daughter and I were driving around Southeast England and landed in Winchester. Winchester is in Hampshire and is a cathedral city, meaning it was granted city status by virtue of having a cathedral within city limits. We dumped our suitcases at the Winchester Royal Hotel, which is a beautiful and historic location in its own right. After we dropped our belongings off, we set out on foot to see the historic sights. We were so enthralled by our visits to The Great Hall and Westgate, as well as walking around the lovely shops and seeing the house where Jane Austen died, that evening had set upon us. Which saddened my daughter.

Before we left for Winchester, we looked up what there was to do. After perusing all the websites, visiting 878 AD was at the top of her list. 878 AD is an immersive experience in which actors are scattered around a space, telling the story of the Battle of Edington. My daughter couldn’t wait to see what it was like. Unfortunately, time had run out that day. So, I promised her that if there was time the following day, we would make a stop.

And we did.
And I am so glad we did.

Upon entering 878 AD, my daughter was given a vest to match the clothing of the times. Then, we walked into a room, where the story of Edington played out before us on the walls. My daughter was hooked as soon as we sat down. I could tell by the look on her face that she was going to go all in on the experience.

After the video presentation, the doors opened up, and an Anglo-Saxon re-enactor welcomed us into the room. We were now part of the story, which was that we were fleeing Viking invaders and found refuge within the Winchester walls. The guide pointed out different stations where we would learn, play games, and have interactive experiences. Also within the room were artifacts from those early days.

We played along with the actors and listened to their stories and answered questions they threw at us. The women who guided us through the exhibit were fantastic and funny. At one point, a woman with healing powers (a leach) asked my daughter if she ever had itchy skin, and my daughter replied that she does sometimes. This led to a healing ritual being performed, which was hilarious.

My daughter was also given a card that had tasks that needed to be completed. Once completed, she would earn a reward. We went from station to station and played games or completed tasks. It wasn’t just a history lesson told entertainingly; it was a bonding experience for my daughter and me.

My daughter is my fourth kid, and I’ve taken solo trips with the other three. This trip was her turn to have one-on-one time with me. Throughout our journeys, we’ve had great conversations in the car, laughed during dinner, and told one another stories. At 878 AD, we were equals playing with and against one another. Her favorite game was Mancala. I had seen the game before, but never played it. One of the Anglo-Saxons taught us how to play, and my daughter and I played against one another. She talked a lot of trash for a 10-year-old. After playing a few games, she noticed on the card that one thing on the list was to play against one of the Anglo-Saxons.

My daughter slowly walked up to the three women and asked to play against one of them. All three joined her around the Mancala table. My daughter was in her element. Those three women made her feel so good. I sat in a chair and watched with a big smile on my face. The only bigger smile was my daughter’s.

We finished up checking all the things off her card and said goodbye to the Anglo-Saxons. We watched a final video that explained Alfred’s victory. Once the video was over, we exited through the doors and into the gift shop, where she received a button for completing her list. She walked around the gift shop, and I knew she was about to win a battle over my wallet. She had such a great time that I couldn’t say “no” to a soft shield and sword.

Winchester England’s Culinary Delights

When we got back to our hotel room, my daughter called her sister and her mother and told them all about her time at 878 AD. She was loud and expressive as she recounted everything that had happened. Throughout our time in southeastern UK, she kept bringing up how much fun she had.

At the end of the trip, I asked her what her five favorite things we did were. She thought it over for a few moments. To backtrack a bit, before we left on our Southeast England tour, we stopped at the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio Tour. We spent about 5 hours walking around the studio. The next day, we started our journey south. When she thought over the question, she said, “Number one was the Harry Potter Tour, and a close second was the 878 AD moment.” If I had known it was that close of a ranking, I would’ve saved $350 and gone straight to 878 AD!

I can’t thank 878 AD enough for entertaining my daughter the way the Anglo-Saxons did. She’s now an expert on Winchester history, and I foresee her classmates on the first day of school getting an Anglo-Saxon history lesson.