Tractor Trailer Guided Tours

Take a 40 minute guided Tractor Trailer Guided Tour (seating maximum 22 adults per trip) to the 'out of bounds' part of the site.

You will see the remains of many of the buildings used in the production of explosives including the Grand Nitrator (where nitroglycerine was manufactured), Newton’s Pool used for the testing of underwater explosives including the explosives used in the Dambusters' “bouncing bomb” and the very pretty Victorian Press House with waterwheel and press where one of the most dangerous processes on site took place.

Rides run every hour on open days, subject to demand.

Tickets can be purchased when you arrive on site, and cost £2 per Adult, and £1 per child.

Latest

Julie's Nature Column - Summer 2019
Historical Walk and Audio Tour

Discover the science and history surrounding the manufacture of gunpowder and other explosives by taking our 23 point Online Audio Tour which can be listened to by clicking the speaker icons below. When you visit our site in person, you may also take our Self Guided Audio Tour by scanning the QR Codes on each Information Panel with your Mobile phone.
Archive

After the closure of ERDE, the archive material inherited passed through a number of hands and storage locations, particularly in the latter period before opening to the public, when outside staff from the firm designing the exhibition had to have free access. Consequently by 2004 the Archive had become rather disorganised.
Why So Important?

Internationally, the Royal Gunpowder Mills is amongst a handful of places associated with the manufacture of explosives dating back many centuries which have subsequently been preserved and opened to the public.