The Gower Heritage Centre is based around a working 12th century water mill. We are also home to a working woollen mill and several rural craft workshops. Our Centre is a treasure trove of our past history from ancient stone circles to the smallest cinema in Wales - La Charrette. We provide fully guided tours for all age groups from Nursery through all the Key Stages. Each tour can be geared to your specific needs or national curriculum requirements. There are lots of hands-on activities for your pupils and also all our farm animals to visit. We aim to stimulate and educate our young visitors in an entertaining way!
CONTENTS
1. Useful information – How to get here.
2. Educational tours – what we can do for you.
3. Extra activity workshops
4. Risk assessment advice
5. Commendations
Booking Procedure
All prices per child include entry into the Gower Heritage Centre. Upon entry all teachers/helpers/parents/coach drivers go FREE! Payments can be made on the day of arrival or your school can be invoiced for the payment.
Please telephone the Gower Heritage Centre on 01792 371206 to check availability on your chosen date and to confirm the overall price for your chosen option.
Worksheets are included in English or Welsh. Each pupil will also be given a map and booklet about the Centre.
Please have a free planning visit; just ring and book a time which suits you. We also offer groups of teachers a ½ inset day; please contact us for further details. Complete risk assessment documentation for the Gower Heritage Centre is available to download from our website www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk
1. Useful information
How do we get there?
The Gower Heritage Centre is on the A4118 only 8 miles west of Swansea City Centre in the village of Parkmill. There is ample coach parking at the Centre; just follow the brown tourist signs into the main car park.
Can we bring sandwiches?
Your class are welcome to bring their packed lunches, which they can eat whilst at the Centre. We also have large tea-rooms available which serve a variety of hot meals, snacks, hot and cold drinks and home-made cakes. There is a purpose built classroom and undercover picnic areas.
How long does a visit last?
We suggest at least a half-day visit for children in years 1 to 6. This can be extended to a full day visit if you wish to combine it with a guided walk in Three Cliffs Valley.
2. Educational Tours
Educational tours of the Gower Heritage Centre £4.00 per child
Educational tours are available every day during school term and the holidays. The minimum group size is 10, maximum 180. Larger parties will be broken down into smaller groups. A typical tour would be as follows:
You are greeted at the entrance by your Guide, who will direct the class to the Water Wheel to begin the tour. Your guided tour will take between 20 minutes and 45 minutes, depending on the age of the children. It will take you all round the water-powered corn mill and saw mill, into the Miller’s cottage and Blacksmith’s shop, and include the history of the Mill and descriptions of milling, wood-turning and blacksmithing. There are plenty of chances for children to ask and answer questions. The tour can also takes in the coracle display areas and a visit to the woollen mill and weather permitting, a visit to our fishpond and animal farm. Following the tour, your children may like to complete the worksheets we provide, finding out the answers themselves as they look around the Centre. As well as the traditional crafts, we also offer tours specifically of our animal enclosure taking in our collection of rare breeds of poultry and ducks, goats, horses, rabbits, pigs, guinea pigs and the “eggucation centre”. If you’re lucky, you can see tiny chicks that have just hatched.
3. Extra Activities
As well as the general educational tour, we offer a number of different workshops and activities for your class.
Guided Local Walks From £6.00 per child
Gower Heritage Centre is accredited by Visit Wales as an Activity Provider and we organise several different walks from the Centre, with a B.E.L.A. qualified guide. Visit the Neolithic burial chamber, lime kilns and prehistoric cave in Green Cwm valley or Three Cliffs Bay, with its rare flora & fauna and medieval castle. Our guides are qualified First Aiders with full insurance cover as required by the British Sports Council. Contact us for further details.
Pirate Day £6.00 per child
Aimed towards the primary school curriculum, pirate day activites include gold panning, pirate themed craft, cinema and story telling. Children can also make use of the nuerous play areas an animal enclosure throughout the day.
Pottery Workshop £6.00 per child
Small groups can be shown how to throw a pot using the Potter’s wheel. Larger groups will make models, and the subject can be themed to link in with school work. With our self drying clay you can take home your pots on the day.
Craft Workshops £6.00 per child
A variety of other craft workshops are available to suit all tastes, you can choose from wood turning, paper making, felt making, kite making and printing on fabric and bags.
Flour Making £6.00 per child
The Children can have a go themselves at making flour in the 12th century water powered Mill. Our guide will explain the whole process of making flour from grain with opportunities for the class to have a go at grinding and testing the flour.
Teddy Bears’ Picnic, Duck or Bunny Hunt and Craft Activity £7.50 per child
Fun visits for younger pupils. Find our hidden teddies, plastic ducks or bunnies on a secret trail around the Mill grounds. An entertaining way to take in the centre and our animal enclosure. Includes picnic & drink and puppet making activity followed by a puppet show )
Woollen Mill £6.00 per child
Have a guided tour of the Woollen Mill and then have a go at carding and spinning your own wool. Watch and learn about the whole business of turning fleece into blankets.
La Charrette £6.00 per child
Watch your favourite film in Wales’ smallest cinema La Charrette. The 56 year old cinema was removed from its former home in Gorseinon and has been fully restored at the centre.
Wartime Britain workshop £6.00 per child
Learn about life as an evacuee, rationing, and experience our 2nd World War air-raid shelter. We also have a display about equipment used by the Land Army.
4. Risk Assessment Advice
1. GROUP CONTROLS / BEHAVIOUR: Children under the age of 18 must be supervised at all times. Care should be taken when crossing the car park area and crossing the lane into the Heritage Centre. Some of the Mill leat is unfenced and children should be encouraged not to run in this area. The covered play area with ride-on tractors is for children under 7 only.
2. CLOTHING: We recommend that classes wear stout footwear and warm clothing.
3. ACTIVITIES: It is essential that children obey any instructions given to them by Heritage Centre staff; this may be for their own safety.
4. ANIMALS: Children must be aware that animals may bite. They should only feed them with suitable provided food. Gates and enclosures should be left as found.
5. EATING: Children may eat their packed lunches at the picnic tables sited around the Heritage Centre. They should tidy away any rubbish afterwards.
6. FIRST AID & LOST CHILDREN: The teacher should contact one of the Heritage Centre staff if first aid attention is needed. Although the Centre is not large, if any child is lost, they should inform a staff member.
5. Commendations
What some of our visiting groups have said:
Gower Heritage Centre, Parkmill, Gower, Swansea. Tel: 01792 371206
E-mail: Website: www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk