About

Royal Gunpowder Mills Victorian Steam Heritage Weekend

3rd and 4th June

Steam Heritage Weekend in now in its 11th year. This popular event will celebrate our industrial past with reproduction and scale model engines with a special spotlight on the Victorian and Edwardian steam traction engine builders.

Only one engine is full size - a 112-year old traction engine built by Clayton and Shuttleworth called 'Peggy'. All the others are scale models of the original engines. With everything in easy view, the small size is an ideal way for visitors, especially children, to learn about steam power, how the drivers handle the coal and water and everyone can find out from the steam enthusiasts about the history of the traction engines, which revolutionised agriculture in particular.

The weekend is part of the VICTORIAN DAYS (see below) event all included in the same ticket.

Travel back in time to Victorian days for Half-Term family fun at the Royal Gunpowder Mills 30 May to 4 June 10am to 5pm (last entry 3pm).  For families there will be a range of fun Victorian-themed activities for children of all ages including a crazy Victorian Professor in the Mad Lab creating experiments and mayhem in the Mad Lab, themed Victorian crafts, and popular Victorian sideshow games such as coconut shies and hoopla.  With shows and chances to dress up for selfies and family photoshoots, this is a busy and popular event that everyone can enjoy.  See website for days and times of shows.

Also, we will be showing off the important Victorian era of the Royal Gunpowder Mills, which was a time of invention and increased efficiency during expansion of Empire and for the Crimean and Boer Wars. There will be guided tours of the fascinating Incorporating Mills and other Victorian buildings, with insights into the working lives of the era producing dangerous explosives, where one slip could cause a catastrophic explosion - and periodically did. 

In the acclaimed armoury visitors can track the Victorian development of firearms.  In the Rocket Vault a replica of the Victorian Congreve Rocket can be studied, manufactured here at the Royal Gunpowder Mills.  Congreve rockets were used in the American Civil War and the line in the US National Anthem   ‘…the rocket’s red glare’ celebrates this.

Other learning opportunities include the Wildlife Tower, where visitors can enjoy a panoramic view and observe rich wildlife which includes birds of prey, grey herons and deer.

The history of explosives can be explored in the Main Exhibition, and for a notional extra charge the land train will take visitors deep into the beautiful landscape on a guided tour, wending through alder woodland crisscrossed with streams and dry canals and mysterious buildings peeping through the trees. 

Luke Dunne of the Royal Gunpowder Mills said: “Victorian Days offers opportunities for everyone to see history close up.  For our youngest visitors we believe that connecting to history and science in playful ways makes these topics one that they will always enjoy, so that’s always our aim.”

Experience Victorian science in Professor Nitrate’s Mad Lab and discover our Victorian pharmacy where you can stir up your very own concoction.

Try your hand at making a Zoetrope to amaze your family and friends. Learn about Morse code, make your own skipping rope, make a tea set, have fun with marble games and much more!

Join us in the Victorian Classroom and experience life as a Victorian school child.

Try our popular outdoor games arena to experience the games children played in Victorian times such as Hoopla, Quoits, the coconut shy and skittles!

30th May - 4th June (May half-term) opens 10am. Entry to the event includes all the usual attractions and activities available at the Royal Gunpowder Mills including guided tours of the whole site, the rocket display and armoury, which the re-enactors bring into context.

This is a not-to-be missed event.