A RE-ENACTMENT of Queen Victoria's 1856 boat trip up the River Tamar to Morwellham Quay as part of a visit to the West Country took place last week.

'Queen Victoria' retraced part of her journey, arriving at Morwellham Quay by boat for a day of celebration with fun activities for all ages.

She visited the attraction's village school and talked to children about the four Rs, copperplate handwriting and good posture.

There was also a chance for an audience with 'Queen Victoria' in the newly restored Methodist Chapel.

Queen Victoria's private journals were made accessible for the first time last year as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. This was the first major public release of material from the Royal Archives.

The journals reveal that Queen Victoria disembarked at Morwellham to continue her journey to the Duke of Bedford's summer retreat at Endsleigh House. In her diary she bestowed high praise upon the West Country, describing the region as 'picturesque with magnificent views'. She declared of the Tamar and surrounding area 'I never saw anything finer of its kind.'

Morwellham Quay provides an insight into life in a small mining community during the 19th Century, allowing visitors to dress in Victorian clothes, tour the copper mine and take part in Victorian school lessons.