Animated Histories Summer Tour

Animated Histories with Aardman Academy

In summer 2024 English Heritage joined forces with the Aardman Academy to explore history and heritage across England through stop motion animation.

From the home of Charles Darwin to forts, factories and castles, there’s a place to spark everyone’s creativity! We invite you to visit these sites and use them, and the many stories found there, as inspiration to create your own stop motion animation film.

Anyone aged 11-25 could get involved at Four English Heritage sites who hosted professional animators from the multi-award-winning Aardman studios.

It was an amazing opportunity to learn from professional Aardman creatives and meet some very familiar characters (who hopefully don’t try to escape!). With visitors taking part in a short, introductory workshops and learning new skills.

 

Animation Displays and Workshops

The Aardman Academy is a training facility based at the world-famous studio’s HQ and is committed to nurturing talent and inspiring the next generation of storytellers. At these special events, you can meet Aardman animators Hannah Brooks and Zoe Hutber who will talk through their process of creating award-winning animations. No booking is required to view the displays but normal site entry fees may apply (please see the site’s webpage for further details).

Each site hosted 40-minute workshops that introduced you to ways of bringing stories and characters to life.

Using freely available kit, materials and apps, Hannah and Zoe helped people develop their skills in paper animation, offering tips and tricks for creative storytelling. Gave us a close look at some real Aardman puppets, and enabled everyone to creating films with everyday items so that they could continue when they got home.

 

Stott Park Bobbin Mill

Event date: 22nd July 2024, 10am – 4pm

Location: Stott Park Bobbin Mill, Colton Hill, Lakeside, LA12 8AX

Nestled on the shores of Lake Windermere in Cumbria, this extensive working mill produced literally millions of wooden bobbins vital to the Lancashire spinning and weaving industries. It is the only working bobbin mill left in the Lake District today.

 

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens

Event date: 23rd July 2024, 10am – 4pm

Location: Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Belsay, NE20 0DX

Belsay is bursting with new things to see and do, from the medieval castle, to the dramatic shell of the Georgian hall, inspired by the temples of Ancient Greece, to thirty acres of enchanting gardens.

Home of Charles - Down House

Event date: 7th August 2024, 10am – 4pm

Location: Down House, Luxted Road, Downe, BR6 7JT

With a unique place in the history of science and evolution, Down House was Charles Darwin’s family home. Step into the very rooms where Charles Darwin worked and lived, including the study where he wrote On the Origin of Species. The house is also surrounded by beautiful gardens that acted as Darwin’s ‘living laboratory’.

Fort Brockhurst

Event date: 14th August 2024, 10am – 4pm

Location: Fort Brockhurst, Gunners Way, Gosport, England PO12 4DS

One of several forts built in the 1850s and 1860s to protect Portsmouth and its vital harbour against a French invasion. Largely unaltered, this historic site has a surviving keep, parade ground, gun ramps, moated keep, washrooms and armoury.

About the Aardman Academy

The Aardman Academy is a world-class training facility delivering excellence in film and animation training and mentoring for students around the world, based on-site at the multi-award-winning Aardman studios in Bristol, UK.