The Armoury
The Armoury is a comprehensive collection of small arms and militaria recently acquired by The Royal Gunpowder Mills with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund.
(View The Armoury Catalogue - an image database of the collection)
The exhibition displays over 200 historic firearms covering the periods from the English Civil War to present day conflicts.
Our volunteer staff are happy to explain the science, technology and history of the various types of weapons on display which include heavy medium and light machine guns, sub machine guns, manual and self-loading rifles, revolvers and pistols, mortars, rocket launchers and grenades.
Visitors are encouraged to handle and explore a variety of historic weapons - this "hands on" experience is very interesting and informative. The weapons come from all over the world and represent the small arms used by the major combatants from the English Civil War to present day conflicts.
The exhibition includes most of the weapons produced by the nearby Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, these include Bren guns including a rare 1938 dated MK1, .455 and .38 revolvers, Sten guns and rifles.Helmets, hats, uniforms, badges, leather and webbing equipment, flags, swords, bayonets and spears complete the display and the comments in our visitor book confirm that it is well worth seeing
The Armoury collection is also open to be pre-booked by schools, local societies and other groups. Our new full time Manager - Dr David Kenyon can offer tours and presentations, as well as specially tailored educational packages on a variety of topics. He can also bring the collection to you, offering the opportunity for a hands-on learning experience at your school or other venue.
Dr David Kenyon is a military historian and archaeologist with a background in public presentation of historical topics. He has worked in historical interpretation for a number of Museums, as well as organisations such as the National Trust and English Heritage. He has worked on TV and Radio as well as publishing several books and articles.
The Armoury
Group Visits, Education, and Outreach
With the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Armoury now has a full time Curator. The collection is now open throughout the year for visits by pre-booked groups.
Visits can be individually tailored to the needs of each group, and include presentations by the Curator on a wide range of specialist subjects. These can be made to complement school curriculum requirements, or cater to the individual interests of clubs and societies.
A key part of these visits is the opportunity for visitors to get ‘hands on’ the collection and to have items of special interest explained and demonstrated. Groups can learn about the lives of soldiers in conflicts over the past two centuries, as well as the local and social history behind the manufacture of weapons and explosives, and the fascinating engineering achievements they represent.
A new service is our Outreach programme. If your group can’t make it to the collection here at the Mills, The Armoury can come to you. Our Curator is happy to visit schools and clubs in the region to offer presentations on a variety of topics related to the collection, and can bring handling objects with him to be enjoyed and explored at a venue of your choice.
Please call 01992 707370 OR email to discuss your requirements or to make a reservation.
