About Me: Ben Clarke

I was born in Lancashire, England, in 1989, the son of a policeman and a primary school teacher.

All the tough kids at my secondary school had either been arrested by my dad or put in detention by my mum, so I quickly learned to watch my back. Luckily, my parents also introduced me to reading, and I quickly became obsessed with the Asterix comic series and The Hobbit.

My fascination with Rome led me to a degree in Ancient History at Newcastle University, where a friend lent me a book of Norse myths. Reading it alongside Brian Bates’ The Real Middle-Earth revealed the truth behind Tolkien’s fantasy, all inspired by the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons.

After a brief stint teaching secondary history, where I discovered what it feels like to be a square peg in a round hole, I worked in nurseries and supply teaching. One day my mum brought home a newspaper about Romans visiting schools, and I soon joined Roman Tours UK. There, my mentor taught me to stop trying to be “Mr Clarke” in the classroom and start being the character.

With his guidance and the support of family and friends, I founded Viking School Days in 2014, and the rest, as they say, is history!