WITH voting underway for the general election, children learned about the roots of democracy in the turbulent time of King John through a play about the Magna Carta.

The play had been performed to school children next to the tomb of King John in Worcester Cathedral for the last two weeks (April 29 to May 8) to mark the charter's 800th birthday.

While people voted across the country today (Thursday) pupils from schools in Worcestershire learned about of the sources of democracy through a play performed next to effigy of King John who agreed to the charter to make peace with his barons in 1215. In King John's time, they were told, people did not have the vote.

David Braithwaite, teacher and Director of Studies at Kings St Albans, Worcester accompanied children from the school during one of the activities in the Cathedral Chapter house today (Thursday) when the children were busy taking part in a heraldry workshop.

"It’s also a great opportunity that they (the children) can study heraldry that is not on the normal curriculum.”

Rob Leetham one of the two professional actors in the play from Worcester Repertory company said: “ It’s been an immense amount of fun, we are always amazed about how much the children and teachers learn."

Emily Calvert, stage manager for the play and whose own children came to see the play on Bank holiday Monday. said:“It’s such a refreshing way to learn things, especially in the setting of the Cathedral with King John here – it gives me goose bumps when they (the actors) refer to the tomb and say ‘he is buried there!’”

Susan MacLeod, operational manager at Worcester Cathedral said: “The King John and Magna Carta plays we have commissioned have been a great success, they have delighted everyone young and old.

"You can’t help but laugh out loud, it has been a fun way to understand some of what Magna Carta involved - ‘life liberty and property’."

More than 1,000 primary school children visited the Cathedral over the last two weeks to see the King John, Magna Carta and Worcester play that has been specially commissioned by Worcester Cathedral to celebrate the Magna Carta 800th anniversary.

Pupils aged between nine and 12 years visited the cathedral to see the play and also took part in interpretative activities developing the themes of Liberty, Human Rights and Citizenship emanating from the influence of Magna Carta. These workshops are organised by the Cathedral’s Education team.

One of the two actors, Ben Humphrey, said: "It is such a thrill to take a play to so many junior schools and to help them understand some of their history and heritage, while entertaining them at the same time."

The £12,500 funding awarded to Worcester Cathedral was part of the Round Two awards of the UK Government’s Grant to support work of the Magna Carta Trust.

The Magna Carta Trust’s 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee is charged by the Magna Carta Trust to co-ordinate activities, raise the profile of the anniversary and deliver a number of key national and international aspirations.