Giant learning for pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School, Walpole St Peter

Year 6 pupils from the Anthony Curton Primary School, Walpole St Peter have been learning about local legend, Tom Hickathrift, said to have lived on the Smeeth over 400 years ago.

The children went on a bus tour of churchyards at Tilney All saints, Terrington St John, Marshland St James, West Walton and Walpole St Peter, where they found evidence of Tom’s existence, such as a very, very large grave, said to contain Tom’s body, as he was a giant.

They studied village signs depicting Tom with his cart, of which the axle and wheel was used to kill an ogre, who was living on The Smeeth.

The class was joined on the trip by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire’s Nicky Stockman, who hosts The Folk Show, and she interviewed staff and children about what they had learnt. Also on the trip was Gordon Phillips, a co-ordinator of the Tall Tales of Tom project.

Over the following weeks, the children were joined at school by Gordon, and Nicky, who came and played her accordion, and Year 6 were taught traditional dancing, with the story of Tom being acted out alongside the music.

The school’s project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and it really revived the traditional stories of the giant who lived on The Smeeth.

Year 6 teacher, Jeremy Wilkinson, said: “I think it’s really important for children to know about local myths and legends and to carry these on when they have children of their own. They thoroughly enjoyed going out and about, finding signs of Tom’s existence. Their story-telling and dancing did us and their parents proud.”