HOUSE of ADVENTURE

The Terry Deary History Experience Park

Terry says:-

"What I hope to build is a History "Experience" where I recreate authentic villages from various periods - Tudor, Roman, Victorian perhaps - with nothing of the 20th century in them.

"They'll be enclosed in domes like the Eden Project in Cornwall so they'll be all-weather attractions and they will not be museums or theme parks; they will be peopled by actors and the visitors can join in the never-ending re-enactments of the past - with all its horrible history flavour - over there is a pickpocket on trial for stealing ... is he guilty, do we hang him? YOU, the visitor, must decide.

"Over there is Mr Shakespeare rehearsing a play and having trouble with the Puritans ... over here are the preparations for Queen Elizabeth's visit.

"In that house is a craftsman turning wooden bowls, and in that one a woman selling roast thrushes to take away while there is a house being built using genuine tools and skills and over there a Tudor ship. (When the ship is completed it will sail on the river and a new one built - when we have two we'll have a sea battle!)

"And all the time the visitors are encouraged to interact and "experience" a day in the life of the period. The project is backed by a local council in the North of England. The next step is to carry out a feasibility and marketing study. A previous plan (for another region) was very positive and said we could find financial backers to build the £30 million idea. Hope that gives you a flavour of what I'm planning."