LEARNING: Amy, Charlotte, Emily and Chloe of St Mary's RC Primary School  with community archaeologist Harriet Tatton
LEARNING: Amy, Charlotte, Emily and Chloe of St Mary's RC Primary School with community archaeologist Harriet Tatton

HUNDREDS of children in and around Barnard Castle have been learning more about medieval ailments while helping St Mary’s Church in the town raise cash for vital repairs.

The church is working with archaeology group DigVentures to engage people in the town’s heritage as part of a bid for Lottery funding to repair a wall that is pulling apart. Work also needs to be done to many of the ancient windows.

Previously the archaeology group invited people to take part in a photogrammetry project to create 3D images of various objects and artefacts that can be found in the church. In the latest round of workshops primary school pupils have been invited to learn about the medieval times of Richard III who has important links to the church.

Archaeologist Harriet Tatton said pupils were led on a path of discovery into how scientists used DNA testing to confirm they had discovered King Richard III’s body in 2012.