YEAR 4 pupils of Torberry class at Harting School jumped back in time to live for a day as Saxons, to learn about food of the time, including oats, wheat, barley, onions, leeks and deer meat, which was one of the Saxons favourite meats, and very occasionally grapes, which may have been grown locally. The class, many of whom came to school dressed as Saxons, also made a Saxon water pot for a child, and learned about Saxon tactics of war, including the deadly ‘shield wall.’ The nine-year-olds learned that this involved warriors interlocking their shields and trying to stab their opponents, either over or under their shields. Pupil Fynnbar Batachargie said: “We held real Saxon weapons, a sword, a shield, a dagger, an axe, and a bow and arrow. We also tried on a real helmet from Saxon times, which was really very heavy and felt like a brick on your head.”