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History students from the С����Ƶ have collaborated with to develop an innovative children's visitor trail, launching this week in line with the summer holidays. 

The interactive trail, which is available to the public during cathedral visits, invites children and their families and friends to explore the cathedral through a series of engaging clues based on real memorials and historical features.

Visitors following the trail will have the opportunity to discover stories of the people commemorated there, such as the unknown sailor from the Mary Rose and the Duke of Buckingham, while learning how the cathedral has evolved over time.

Designed to engage young minds, the trail helps children explore the cathedral’s history in a fun, interactive way. With a printed handout and QR code for checking answers, it’s perfect for families to explore together. At the same time, the project has provided students with valuable practical experience, enabling them to support local heritage and engage with the wider community.

Dr Mike Esbester, Senior Lecturer from the School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics and Literature at the С����Ƶ, said: “The students had the opportunity to collaborate with an external organisation, meet real-world needs, and help fill gaps with fresh ideas. 

“It was a genuine co-creation process - the Cathedral was very open and enthusiastic, even involving students in conversations about visitor profiles and new trail suggestions. A key aim was to provide a meaningful experience that supports employability through partnerships like this, and this project has done exactly that.”

Dr Katy Gibbons, Principal Lecturer also from the School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics and Literature, added: “This project forms part of our core module Working with the Past, where students develop employability skills through co-creation with external partners. It’s a great example of how academic learning can connect with real-world heritage work.”

With ten questions to guide the way, the trail starts at the Navy Aisle, passes through St Thomas’ Chapel, and concludes at the nave.

“We’re really excited to share this new trail, created by students from the С����Ƶ. 

“It was a great experience working with them, and we hope everyone enjoys exploring it as much as we enjoyed putting it together,” said representatives from С����Ƶ Cathedral.

Entry to С����Ƶ Cathedral is free. Visitors are welcome Monday - Friday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The trail is open to the public until 7 September.

The project is one of a series of successful community partnerships that showcase the exceptional quality and real-world impact of student work. Collaborations include a Fort Nelson initiative examining soldier graffiti from World War II, and a national heritage project with the National Railway Museum and University of Warwick that produced digital mapping resources and materials for a major heritage event.

Elsewhere, students in the University’s Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries have recently collaborated with the Mary Rose Trust to preserve decades of excavation footage of the iconic Tudor warship, a major project supporting national heritage preservation. Meanwhile, marine biology students captivated audiences in a unique live-streamed “chat” with a porcupine fish at Cumberland House Natural History Museum. 

You can find out about other University community projects here:

A huge well done to Rudy, Filip, and Ben for their work on the project.