On this website you can find out about the exciting museum inside the 18th Century brass mill at Warmley with its ice house and windmill tower and the gardens nearby with grottoes, echo pond and huge statue of Neptune. This is a wonderful achievement for our museum as it means we are recognised as achieving national standards in the key areas of museum management: organisational health; collections; users and their experiences.
We are especially proud of our Accreditation as the Trust and Museum are staffed entirely by volunteers. William Champion's 18th Century brass works at Warmley represent an important milestone in industrial history. It was here that he developed the first commercial production of zinc in Europe.
We are especially proud of our Accreditation as the Trust and Museum are staffed entirely by volunteers. William Champion's 18th Century brass works at Warmley represent an important milestone in industrial history. It was here that he developed the first commercial production of zinc in Europe.
Services
The purpose of the Friends is to raise funds for the Museum. Membership is 6.00 a year and a newsletter is distributed regularly during the year. We run the cafe and shop and organise other events. There is also a series of circular guided walks around 18C industrialist William Champion's unique garden including entry to his mysterious Grotto.
Our volunteers will attempt to respond to research enquiries but as an entirely volunteer-staffed museum, we do not have extensive facilities or time for this. In addition, if you live in the area, you are very welcome to come along with your query to the museum. We welcome new artefacts, documents and photos relating to our area, but are very restricted in the number of new objects we can accept into our collection due to lack of space.
Kingswood Heritage Museum can accommodate standard (non-motorised) wheelchairs and our staff are always on hand to assist. Our toilets are wheelchair accessible. It is advisable to telephone prior to your visit for further information or if you have a specific query. The Museum complex lies south of the A420 and borders the Ring Road A4174 and Tower Road North.
The Museum is partly housed in Grade 2 listed buildings dating from the eighteenth century and there are also historic gardens with grottoes of national significance. Displays and our collections cover the heritage of the local area from the origins of Kingswood Forest including coalmining, boot making, and Victorian social life through to World War 2 and the 1950s.
Learning about William Champion's Works, House and Gardens with a visit to the Gardens and Grotto. Themes can be general such as "How has life in our locality changed?" or it may be focused on a particular period or aspect important in the local area like Coalmining or the Victorians. It has a strong local focus and changes each year to commemorate different events.
Reviews (18)
Grainne Donnelly
Dec 09, 2021
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Martin Charlton
Nov 25, 2021
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Patrick Horton
Sep 25, 2021
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R. Cole
Aug 29, 2021
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What a lovely place this is! Maybe a hidden treasure to some but surprisingly larger than it looks, lots of interactive displays for children to enjoy and friendly, helpful staff. All while exploring the historical links to the area. There is a cafe and garden / grotto too to while away an easy few hours. Really recommend.
Lynne Duffett
Aug 27, 2021
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Kirsty Bullock
Aug 19, 2021
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Debbie Emes
Aug 02, 2021
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Marcus Hurley
Jul 28, 2021
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We visited here this afternoon, what a fabulous place! There is a small car park and the museum is well signposted.
Run by volunteers, the museum covers local history from Roman times to the present day. It’s a very ‘old school’ museum so there is lots to read and see and it’s worth paying £6 for the annual membership so you can absorb a bit at a time.
The displays and models to illustrate topics are really well done. It really was fascinating to read about the way the area grew up and how it has changed so much, even in the last 50 years. It’s also surprising how much local industry
Run by volunteers, the museum covers local history from Roman times to the present day. It’s a very ‘old school’ museum so there is lots to read and see and it’s worth paying £6 for the annual membership so you can absorb a bit at a time.
The displays and models to illustrate topics are really well done. It really was fascinating to read about the way the area grew up and how it has changed so much, even in the last 50 years. It’s also surprising how much local industry
Claud Sugaregg
Oct 04, 2020
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Sue Humphreys
Sep 19, 2020
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I've visited the museum with elderly neighbours, friends and my young grandsons. There's something to interest everyone. The boys love hearing about 'the old days' and often relate what they see back to… something they've covered at school. There are free refreshments while Covid restrictions are in place although donations are appreciated! Pocket money toys and bits and pieces are available to purchase alongside secondhand books and jigsaw puzzles. The volunteers apart from being on hand to answer questions, are doing a good job keeping the museum clean and safe for us all to enjoy.
Jill Johnson
Aug 25, 2020
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Nicola Hocking
Aug 12, 2020
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Ella Nerissa
Aug 11, 2020
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Paul Hulbert
Dec 03, 2019
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Lovely quirky museum, staffed by enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers. Lots of displays focused on the local area, particularly its industries. The fascinating grotto nearby is open on special event days. And there's also the giant statue of Neptune (the country's largest garden ornament!) A recommended site to visit.
Karen Watson
Oct 27, 2019
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Heather Grinter
Nov 27, 2018
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Clare Armytage
Aug 27, 2018
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Clair Cameron
Jul 28, 2018
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