Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • TripAdvisor
  • Instagram
Get in touch Donate

Keep an eye on our website for details of our new 2021 events!

Menu
  • Explore
    • What's On
    • Tractor Trailer Guided Tours
    • Exhibitions
    • Railways
    • Nature
    • Virtual Tours
  • Schools
    • Schools Programme
    • FAQs
  • Plan Your Trip
    • Ticket Information
    • How to get here
    • Visitor Map
    • Group Visits
  • Resources
    • History
    • Heritage
    • Nature Diary
    • Book Shop
  • Get Involved
    • Help Royal Gunpowder Mills!
    • Amazon Smile
    • Volunteer
    • Jobs
  • Hire
    • Spaces
    • Filming
  • About Us
    • Our Purpose
    • Our Teams
    • News
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • heritage
  1. Resources
  2. Heritage

Heritage

The Royal Gunpowder Mills is designated a Scheduled Monument, the highest protection that can be given to a historic site.  Its landscape is shaped by 300 years of making explosives and propellants, sealed off from the outside world and featuring a large number of listed buildings, waterways, dry canals and an alder tree plantation which supplied the wood to make the charcoal, one of the three ingredients of gunpowder. The alder plantation is now part of a nature reserve, which is a site of special scientific interest and attracts a diverse range of animals and plants. It is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. 

Philippa Walton

Philippa Walton

Pioneering industrialist and entrepreneur who owned, managed and greatly improved the Waltham Abbey Gunpowder Mills. Read more

Published: 24th August, 2022

Updated: 25th November, 2022

Author: Helen Hamlyn

Highly Charged Words

Highly Charged Words

A light hearted glossary of phrases and sayings in common use today, which originated from gunpowder production and military use. Read more

Published: 3rd August, 2019

Updated: 22nd July, 2022

Author: Ian MacFarlane

RGM Historic Book Reprint Series

RGM Historic Book Reprint Series

The Historic Reprint Series are Facsimilie reprints of books having historical relevance to the development and manufacture of gunpowder at the Royal Gunpowder Mills. Read more

Published: 19th July, 2019

Updated: 22nd July, 2022

Author: Ian MacFarlane

RGM Book Series

RGM Book Series

Books about the history of the Royal Gunpowder Mills written by Archive Volunteers. Read more

Published: 19th July, 2019

Updated: 27th March, 2023

Author: Ian MacFarlane

Paintings of the Mills

Paintings of the Mills

Step back in time to explore an explosive past through the vision of the artists who have painted the sights and scenes at the Royal Gunpowder Mills. Read more

Published: 17th July, 2019

Updated: 22nd July, 2022

Author: Ian MacFarlane

Listed Buildings

Listed Buildings

The 20 Listed Buildings at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Read more

Published: 4th July, 2019

Updated: 6th July, 2019

Author: Ian MacFarlane

Railway History

Railway History

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a narrow gauge railway was used to transport materials around the site. Read more

Published: 21st June, 2018

Updated: 29th November, 2022

Author: Emily Cross

Powder Boats

Powder Boats

Powder Boats were used to transport explosives materials around the network of narrow canals on the Royal Gunpowder Mills site. Read more

Published: 19th May, 2018

Updated: 15th March, 2022

Author: Jordan Wilks

Canals & Waterways

Canals & Waterways

The Millhead Stream was used as a canal for the smooth and safe delivery of raw materials and collection of gunpowder. By 1800 the system had been further extended by the building of new mills on the banks of the old River Lea and the connection of these to the Millhead by canals. Read more

Published: 30th April, 2018

Updated: 29th January, 2020

Author: Jordan Wilks

Back to top

Showing 10 of 9

Latest

  • Air Powered Rockets (KS1/2/3)

    Students will discover concepts such as gravity, friction and acceleration by making and launching their own air-powered rockets.

  • Gunpowder Railway and Main Exhibition (KS1/2/3)

    Gunpowder Railway and Main Exhibition (KS1/2/3)

    Take a trip on The Gunpowder Railway and explore our main exhibition.

  • Experience the Royal Gunpowder Mills

    Experience the Royal Gunpowder Mills

    Discover 300 years of explosive history! Experience an in-depth Tractor Trailer Guided Tour of our 170 acre site, Exhibitions and Gunpowder Railway.

  • Children's Easter Workshop: Willow Weaving and Easter Egg Hunt (4-11 yrs)

    Children's Easter Workshop: Willow Weaving and Easter Egg Hunt (4-11 yrs)

    Learn how to weave your own willow bird feeder, join in an exciting Easter egg hunt and enjoy a ride on our mini railway!

Most read

  • Full 2023 Programme Coming Soon!

    Full 2023 Programme Coming Soon!

    Spring is on its way and our April activities are now available to book! Please see our What's On page for more information to find out more and buy your tickets...

  • How to Get Here

    How to Get Here

    Find out more about where we're located and how to get here by all types of transport.

  • Virtual Tours

    Virtual Tours

    Explore our site from the comfort of home.

  • Visitor Map

  • Jobs

    Jobs

    Come and work with us!

  • Professor Nitrate

    Professor Nitrate

    Experience Professor Nitrate's explosive outdoor science show.

  • Tractor Trailer Guided Tours

    Tractor Trailer Guided Tours

    Take a 25 minute guided Tractor Trailer Guided Tour to the 'out of bounds' parts of the Royal Gunpowder Mills.

  • Our Purpose

    The purpose of the charity is to preserve, manage, research, conserve and display for the benefit of the general public and of the nation at large the historical and archaeological heritage of the Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey in the form of ancient monuments, listed buildings and the natural aspect features and bird, animal, tree and plant life.

  • Gunpowder Cafe

    Gunpowder Cafe

    Tasty treats are being served at our Gunpowder Cafe!

  • The Armoury

    The Armoury

    Discover how firearms changed over the centuries by visiting our collection of over 300 historic firearms.

Tag cloud

Aqueduct Blast Bridges Canals Heritage Hire Industrial News Newton's Pool Press House Quinan Stove Reopening updates Volunteers Waterways Woodland
Royal Gunpowder Mills Digital Archive

Royal Gunpowder Mills Digital Archive

After the closure of ERDE, the archive material inherited passed through a number of hands and storage locations before opening to the public as an online database. Read more

Published: 4th July, 2018

Updated: 10th March, 2022

Author: Ian MacFarlane

RGM Historic Book Reprint Series

RGM Historic Book Reprint Series

The Historic Reprint Series are Facsimilie reprints of books having historical relevance to the development and manufacture of gunpowder at the Royal Gunpowder Mills. Read more

Published: 19th July, 2019

Updated: 22nd July, 2022

Author: Ian MacFarlane

RGM Book Series

RGM Book Series

Books about the history of the Royal Gunpowder Mills written by Archive Volunteers. Read more

Published: 19th July, 2019

Updated: 27th March, 2023

Author: Ian MacFarlane

Help Royal Gunpowder Mills!

Help Royal Gunpowder Mills!

The Royal Gunpowder Mills has now reopened following a two year closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Please donate to help continue our Charity’s work. Read more

Donate Fundraise

Published: 17th June, 2020

Updated: 21st July, 2022

Author:

Amazon Smile

Amazon Smile

Amazon Smile Read more

Published: 13th October, 2020

Author: Ian MacFarlane

  • Login
  • Logout
  • Manager
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Royal Gunpowder Mills is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 1062968).

Contact us

Royal Gunpowder Mills,
Beaulieu Drive,
Waltham Abbey,
Essex, EN9 1JY
United Kingdom

[email protected]
01992 707370

Manage Cookie Preferences