School Visits

Discovery Visits at Stott Park Bobbin Mill

Let our site experts bring the history of Stott Park Bobbin Mill to life for your students, with an interactive tour of the mill. This tour has been developed especially for schools, to help you get the most out of your visit. 

From Tree to Bobbin

Design Technology, Geography, History
KS1, KS2, KS3

Experience the Industrial Revolution at the UK’s only working bobbin mill. On arrival, your group will be split into two, with a maximum of 15 students per group. Through an interactive tour and exhibition, students will see the mill in action and witness, first-hand, the journey from coppiced woodland to bobbin on original, belt-driven machinery. They’ll come away with a real understanding of the lives of the people who lived and worked here. Whilst one group is enjoying the Discovery Visit, the other will have the opportunity to explore the site with our ‘Top Things to See’ resource, before swapping over.

  • Available Monday & Tuesday (April – October) excluding bank holidays and event days
  • Session lasts for 1 hour 45 minutes
  • £100 per session
Enquire now

Plan your trip

We have a wide range of materials to support your visit and make school trip planning easy. You can find all our site-specific information and tools below, and further information on our what to expect page.

Download our free resources to help you make the most out of your visit and create unique learning experiences before, during and after your trip. We also offer free planning visits once you have made a booking, plus a 20% discount on the official English Heritage guidebook for your place of choice.

Once you book your visit you’ll be sent a visit permit, which you’ll need to bring with you on the day.

Visit our bookings page to start planning your trip!

  • Facilities
    • PARKING: The lower mill car park has seven spaces and three designated disabled spaces. This car park is 50 metres from the reception and mill entrance. The top car park has parking for 15 cars and up to three coaches and is 200 metres from the mill reception
    • LUNCH: Vending machine selling hot drinks. Shop sells a selection of snacks including crisps, cold drinks, confectionery and ice cream. You are welcome to bring a picnic to eat in the grounds. There are picnic tables and benches available
    • SHOP: There is a small gift shop where bobbins made in the mill can be purchased.
    • TOILETS: Toilets available on site. Additional sanitising stations also available.
    • MUSEUM: Stott Park Bobbin Mill is an industrial museum which explains the process of bobbin making in the Lake District. The Drying Barn has a permanent exhibition tracing the history of bobbin making
    • FACE MASKS:Face coverings are not mandatory but we do encourage you and your group to wear them where possible in other enclosed spaces. Our staff and volunteers will continue to wear face masks in indoor spaces for your safety. We won’t be able to give you a face covering so if your group do want to wear them please come prepared. 
  • Hazard Information

    A useful tool to help with your risk assessments.

     

    You must meet the following ratios for leaders to students on the day of your visit when booking, and if your group is forming smaller groups while at the site:

    • Ages 4-5 (UK Reception) 1 leader for every 4 students (1:4)
    • Ages 5-7 (UK Key Stage 1) 1 leader for every 6 students (1:6)
    • Ages 7-11 (UK Key Stage 2) 1 leader for every 10 students (1:10) and
    • Ages 11-18 (UK Key Stages 3, 4, and 5) 1 leader for every 15 students (1:15)
    • For an adult learning group, consisting of individuals all over the age of 18, there are no ratios but there must be an appointed group leader
    • All ratios outlined above apply to home education groups
    • If your group consists of children aged 3 and/or 4, you must also refer to the Early Years and Foundation Stage Statutory Framework which sets out specific legal requirements for minimum ratios for this age group, to include requirements about the qualifications of the leaders
    • SEND groups must meet the minimum ratios above but may bring any additional leaders as required to adequately support their group
  • Education Site Opening Times

    We offer free self-led education visits during school term time*. From November until March we open exclusively for education groups at selected sites when booking an expert-led Discovery Visit. See our education opening times below for individual site information.

    *Free education visits are not offered on UK public holidays or during the operation of additional fee paying public events at English Heritage sites.

    Please note that this site is currently closed to education visits.