The boys discovered that Falconry has been documented for over 4,500 years, dating back to Anatolia. It was so popular during the Middle Ages that the Dean of Winchester even complained about the high number of nuns bringing their falcons to church! Indeed, it is still a very popular and expensive sport in the Middle East, with birds fetching hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Each boy had the chance to hold a bird on their arm and observe the impressive talons of these magnificent creatures up close. They were surprised by the statistical information regarding the speed and strength of these birds, as they are so remarkable: with talons that can grip four times stronger than a dog's jaws, and they can dive faster than any other beast on earth.

I am very much looking forward to the next five weeks of learning about the care and training of these birds of prey, and I am particularly eager to see how the boys enjoy the experience. 

If you want to see the boys with these birds at Wolvesey, please stand at the gate between 5 and 6 pm on a Tuesday.

Joy Bailey
Head of History