Warrington Castle VR Workshop at Padgate Academy
AVimmerse joins the University of Chester and Padgate Academy for a collaborative workshop exploring medieval history, historical objects and immersive technology.
In July 2026, AVimmerse was invited to Padgate Academy in Warrington to participate in a collaborative educational workshop alongside academics from the University of Chester. The session brought together medieval history, object-based learning and virtual reality, introducing students to Warrington's historical landscape and the ongoing Warrington Castle Project.
Working alongside Dr Thomas Pickles and Professor Katherine Wilson from the University of Chester, the workshop gave students an opportunity to explore the medieval period through a combination of historical objects, creative activities and digital interpretation.
Exploring History Through Objects
During the first part of the workshop, students were introduced to a selection of medieval objects brought by the University of Chester team. The opportunity to handle and examine physical artefacts encouraged students to consider how people lived, worked and interacted with objects during the medieval period.
Students then participated in creative exercises inspired by the objects, including writing stories and imagining their own medieval artefacts. These activities encouraged them to think beyond the physical characteristics of the objects and consider the people, places and stories associated with them.
Warrington Castle VR Workshop: Exploring the Medieval Past
Our Warrington Castle VR workshop gave students the opportunity to explore a digital interpretation of the castle, helping them visualise its possible scale, physical character and relationship with the surrounding landscape.
AVimmerse contributed an immersive technology element to the workshop, introducing students to the Warrington Castle Project and its ambition to investigate, interpret and share the story of Warrington's lost medieval castle.
We began with a presentation exploring the castle's historical significance, its possible location near St Elphin's Church, and the research and activities undertaken by the project to date. We also discussed our longer-term ambitions for community archaeology, digital interpretation and opportunities for young people to become involved.
Following the presentation, students were invited to experience our virtual reality interpretation of Warrington Castle.
Developed as part of our ongoing research and public engagement activities, the VR experience allows participants to explore a digital representation of the castle and better understand its possible scale, physical character and relationship with the surrounding landscape.
Rather than presenting a definitive reconstruction, the experience provides a visual starting point for exploring the archaeological and historical questions that remain unanswered.
Connecting Young People with Local Heritage
The workshop demonstrated how historical research, physical objects and immersive technology can complement one another in an educational setting.
By combining the University of Chester's academic expertise with AVimmerse's digital heritage practice, the session offered students different ways to investigate the medieval past, from handling tangible historical objects to exploring a place that has largely disappeared from the modern landscape.
For the Warrington Castle Project, engaging younger audiences is an important part of our wider ambition to make local heritage accessible and encourage community participation in the research and interpretation of Warrington's history.
We would like to thank Padgate Academy and the University of Chester for the opportunity to collaborate and look forward to exploring further opportunities to bring local history into the classroom.
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