Royal Gunpowder Mills is a charity sharing and caring for 170 acres of historic buildings, wildlife and archaeological sites. We are open to the public alternate Sundays in 2024, and provide a programme of group and school visits, tours and events with the support of our team of volunteers.
I had been recommended the Royal Gunpowder Mills by a friend, and with the kids now a slightly bit older we decided it would be worth a try. It's only open to visitors a couple of times a month on a Sunday, and on our visit from 11am to 4pm. We got there at 11am as it opened, there is a big sign as you come off the main road, but the site is located at the end of the drive once you have driven past all the housing. Car park is a fair size, and the entrance is located to the right once you have got into the car park. Once you have gone in, it's probably worth getting yourself booked on to the tractor ride. It leaves at specific times. We went straight towards the miniature railway which took us up the site to the gunpowder mill railway. Again, there are some set timings for this, but when we got there we pretty much had the train to ourselves. The railway takes passengers for a ride further up the site, stops and then comes back again. We managed to see the deer as well as bits of the site. The guys running the railway did a fab job at showing us all about the railway, and even let the young 'uns sit in the main cab. The tractor ride was incredibly informative and really gave a good idea of how big the place truly is (massive!) and how much history is here (loads!) Again you get to see the deer, and lots of the old buildings - lots of areas are covered in greenery where nature has taken over. The kids were also given a sheet of things to look out for on the journey. At lunch we popped back to the car to get our picnic and sat at the benches next to the play area (obstacle course / zip line). There is an area where you can get a free tea / coffee - as well as toilets if required. Post lunch, we went to create some rockets and had a little competition to see who's rocket could go the furthest - kids enjoyed this! (Well, the adults did too!) After the rockets, we went to look around the exhibition and armoury. Lots to read here, and kids did do a few little interactive games (mixing the substances at the factory etc.) but they weren't quite so keen to stand and read! The armoury was literally a room full of different guns, rifles etc. When we came out of the exhibition, we just had time to have another trip on the railway. The volunteers were great and radio'd up to ensure we would catch it on time! Once our second trip on the railway was finished it was closing time... we had been there all day! We thought the dedication and hard work by the volunteers was great - we even thought about volunteering ourselves, but it's a bit of a journey away! (Although if they ever do a family volunteering day where the kids can get involved, we would certainly consider it!!)
It's not a theme park. If you are into history, this is probably for you. I would recommend reading up before you go to get the best out of the visit. The tractor tour is an absolute must. The best parts (and the largest part) can only be seen this way. Get your name down on the list for the next available tour when you arrive. If you want to take pictures on the tour, most of the opportunities are available from the left side of the trailer. Recommend
I took the walking tour today. Absolutely brilliant experience! We started in the cafe with a tea/coffee before heading out in a small group with the volunteers. They really knew so much about the site and were so passionate about its history that it was a real pleasure to listen to. Look out for the wildlife too- we saw lots of deer around!
Great day out. They have a tractor and trailer tour with a guide who really knows his stuff. A train ride and armoury museum plus a small cinema showing a 15min film. A cafe with tea and coffee but take your own food and cold drinks. Free parking.
Took kids (6 and 7 year olds) to the mill to do a arts event. The place is filled with history which the volunteers shared. The place is large and kids were able to explore the area and be surrounded with nature and hone their sketching skills. The children also got to experience riding a small train and tractor. Very good day out and children have enjoyed themselves. The volunteers were welcoming and very informative.
Really entertaining family friendly day, with interactive learning, tractor and two different train rides, outdoor playground, interactive kids show (rockets, explosions), ammunition and rocket displays. Believe it is only open on Sundays at the moment, its really worth planning a trip! Hidden gem. Good outdoor space for a picnic on site too, clean toilets and nice cafe area with snacks and hot drinks
On-site services
Assistive hearing loop
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Toilets
LGBTQ+ friendly
Getting tickets in advance recommended
Good for kids
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I had been recommended the Royal Gunpowder Mills by a friend, and with the kids now a slightly bit older we decided it would be worth a try. It's only open to visitors a couple of times a month on a Sunday, and on our visit from 11am to 4pm. We got there at 11am as it opened, there is a big sign as you come off the main road, but the site is located at the end of the drive once you have driven past all the housing. Car park is a fair size, and the entrance is located to the right once you have got into the car park. Once you have gone in, it's probably worth getting yourself booked on to the tractor ride. It leaves at specific times. We went straight towards the miniature railway which took us up the site to the gunpowder mill railway. Again, there are some set timings for this, but when we got there we pretty much had the train to ourselves. The railway takes passengers for a ride further up the site, stops and then comes back again. We managed to see the deer as well as bits of the site. The guys running the railway did a fab job at showing us all about the railway, and even let the young 'uns sit in the main cab. The tractor ride was incredibly informative and really gave a good idea of how big the place truly is (massive!) and how much history is here (loads!) Again you get to see the deer, and lots of the old buildings - lots of areas are covered in greenery where nature has taken over. The kids were also given a sheet of things to look out for on the journey. At lunch we popped back to the car to get our picnic and sat at the benches next to the play area (obstacle course / zip line). There is an area where you can get a free tea / coffee - as well as toilets if required. Post lunch, we went to create some rockets and had a little competition to see who's rocket could go the furthest - kids enjoyed this! (Well, the adults did too!) After the rockets, we went to look around the exhibition and armoury. Lots to read here, and kids did do a few little interactive games (mixing the substances at the factory etc.) but they weren't quite so keen to stand and read! The armoury was literally a room full of different guns, rifles etc. When we came out of the exhibition, we just had time to have another trip on the railway. The volunteers were great and radio'd up to ensure we would catch it on time! Once our second trip on the railway was finished it was closing time... we had been there all day! We thought the dedication and hard work by the volunteers was great - we even thought about volunteering ourselves, but it's a bit of a journey away! (Although if they ever do a family volunteering day where the kids can get involved, we would certainly consider it!!)
It's not a theme park. If you are into history, this is probably for you. I would recommend reading up before you go to get the best out of the visit. The tractor tour is an absolute must. The best parts (and the largest part) can only be seen this way. Get your name down on the list for the next available tour when you arrive. If you want to take pictures on the tour, most of the opportunities are available from the left side of the trailer. Recommend
I took the walking tour today. Absolutely brilliant experience! We started in the cafe with a tea/coffee before heading out in a small group with the volunteers. They really knew so much about the site and were so passionate about its history that it was a real pleasure to listen to. Look out for the wildlife too- we saw lots of deer around!
Great day out. They have a tractor and trailer tour with a guide who really knows his stuff. A train ride and armoury museum plus a small cinema showing a 15min film. A cafe with tea and coffee but take your own food and cold drinks. Free parking.
Took kids (6 and 7 year olds) to the mill to do a arts event. The place is filled with history which the volunteers shared. The place is large and kids were able to explore the area and be surrounded with nature and hone their sketching skills. The children also got to experience riding a small train and tractor. Very good day out and children have enjoyed themselves. The volunteers were welcoming and very informative.
Really entertaining family friendly day, with interactive learning, tractor and two different train rides, outdoor playground, interactive kids show (rockets, explosions), ammunition and rocket displays. Believe it is only open on Sundays at the moment, its really worth planning a trip! Hidden gem. Good outdoor space for a picnic on site too, clean toilets and nice cafe area with snacks and hot drinks
