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Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows
Impressive working 18th-century watermill and campsite
Mill Street, Houghton, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 2AZ
Book a visit
Important notice
The mill is open for guided tours Wednesday to Saturday mornings, self-led afternoons and all day self-led Sundays. The car park is open daily 8.30am - 4.00pm. The tea-room is open daily 10.00am - 4.00pm.
Opening times for 30 April 2025
Asset Opening time Watermill Guided tours morning - book online Car Park 08:30 - 16:00 Tea-room 10:00 - 16:00 Book a visitMTWTFSS311234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829301234OpenPartially openClosedCar Park
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid £3.00 Mill tour from 13 March
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Adult (18+) £8.80 £8.00 Child (5-17) under 5s free £4.40 £4.00 Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children) £22.20 £20.00 1 adult, 2 children £13.20 £12.00 Group (Adult 18+) £7.60 Group (Child 5-17) £3.80 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
- Car park
We are operating a pay and display system in our car park where car park charges will apply for non-members. The price for non-members is £3 for 3 hours only. Members park free but for 3 hours only. There is no parking for motorhomes or caravans at the Mill.
- Dogs allowed
Dogs are welcome to enjoy the many walks and meadows surrounding the mill. We ask that dogs are kept on a lead at all times. Assistance dogs only are allowed inside the mill and tea-room.
- Guided tour
The watermill is open between March and October. Guided tours of the mill are available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets need to be booked in advance.
- Tea-room
Riverside tea-room open daily serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and light meals.
- Toilet
The toilets are open daily in the tea-room from 10am-4pm and from 11am-4pm in the mill when it's open from March to October.
Mobility parking and accessible toilet. Accessible routes available. Ground floor of mill accessible.
- Accessible toilet
Accessible toilets can be found in the tea-room and mill.
- Designated parking
There are 2 designated accessible parking spaces in the main car park.
- Drop-off point
It is possible to drop off visitors close to the mill, if the designated spaces are full.
- Induction loop
There is an induction loop at the counter in the tea-room and visitor reception.
- Level access to food outlet
The main entrance to the tearoom is up two steps, the accessible entrance is at the rear of the building accessed by a wooden deck ramped surfaced with non-slip gripdeck. The open space and meadow area is generally accessed by grass paths on level ground.
- Level access/terrain
Access to visitor welcome space is level, doorway is quite low but warning signage is in place. The floor surface on the ground floor of the mill is partly stone flags and partly asphalt mastic style floor these are easily accessible.
- Ramped access/slopes
The accessible entrance to the tea-room is at the rear of the building accessed by a wooden deck ramped surfaced with non-slip gripdeck.
- Seating available
There are chairs for visitors to use throughout the mill including some with arms and high backs.
- Steps/uneven terrain
The main exit has a level if slightly uneven floor. The floor covering is coir matting. The floors on the first and second stories of the mill are wooden and in places are uneven due to the historic nature of the building. The first and second floors of the mill aren’t easily accessible.
- By road
signposted off A1123
Parking: Car parking £3.00 for 3 hours max stay. Members park for free (max stay 3 hours). There's currently no parking for coaches, motorhomes or caravans.
Sat Nav: PE28 2AZ
- On foot
on the Ouse Valley Way
- By bus
services Cambridge to Huntingdon (passing close Huntingdon train station)
- Cycling
Mill Street, Houghton, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 2AZ
Planning your visit
Boat tours to Houghton Mill
Take a boat tour from St Ives Quay to Houghton Mill, enjoying the peace of the River Great Ouse in an electric riverboat, followed by a guided tour of the mill.
Article
Visiting Houghton Mill
Houghton Mill is open for guided tours Wednesday to Saturday. You’ll need to pre-book your tickets for the guided tours only, which can be done up to two weeks before your visit. No booking is required Sunday. If you're planning a visit, read this article to find out everything you need to know.
Article
Eating at Houghton Mill
Visit the tea-room at Houghton Mill for a range of hot and cold drinks, hot and cold snacks and light meals.
Article
Visiting Houghton Mill with your dog
Houghton Mill is a one pawprint rated place. Dogs are welcome to enjoy the many walks and meadows surrounding the mill. We ask that dogs are kept on a lead at all times. Assistance dogs only are allowed inside the mill and tea-room. Find out everything you need to know about visiting with a dog.
PDF
PDF
Houghton Mill welcome leaflet
Orientation map and accessibility information for visitors to Houghton Mill
Highlights
Watermill (Mar-Oct)
Working 18th-century watermill, with three floors of traditional machinery and milling demonstrations.
Meadows
Water Meadows alongside the River Great Ouse with walking routes to St Ives, Huntingdon and Godmanchester.
Houghton Mill Tea-room
Riverside tea-room serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and light meals.
Campsite
Riverside campsite and camping pods, with views across the Ouse Valley.
Things to see and do
Article
Things to do at Houghton Mill
Discover the 18th-century building at Houghton Mill, from Victorian machinery to freshly ground flour that you can buy to use at home.
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Houghton Mill
From paddling a canoe down the river to a scenic bike ride, there's lots for families to do at Houghton Mill.
Article
Volunteer opportunities at Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows
From tour guiding to keeping the picturesque campsite in top shape, find out about the volunteer roles available at Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows, how to apply and more. To find out more about volunteering at Houghton Mill, contact houghtonmill@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01480 301494. Alternatively, you can search for ‘Houghton Mill’ on the National Trust volunteering website below to find opportunities and to apply.
Outdoor activities
Article
Outdoor activities at Houghton Mill
Find out how you can get active on your visit to Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows with a range of walking and cycling trails as well as scenic canoeing routes close by.
Top trails
Trail
Houghton Mill and Houghton Meadows walk
Follow this circular walk across the water meadows and over the Ouse valley landscape as you discover the history of the local area.
Trail
St Ives and the Hemingfords walk
Discover unspoiled villages and an old market town, alongside water meadows and the delightful Ouse valley landscape, on the St Ives and The Hemingfords walk.
Trail
Huntingdon and Godmanchester walk
Head off through a watery landscape in search of lost mills on this 8-mile walk through the delightful landscape of the Ouse valley.
Trail
Canoeing from Houghton Mill to St Ives
Enjoy a couple of hours canoeing with the family from the National Trust's Houghton Mill to the historic town of St Ives, Cambridgeshire.
Eating
Article
Eating at Houghton Mill
Visit the tea-room at Houghton Mill for a range of hot and cold drinks, hot and cold snacks and light meals.
Places to stay
Waterclose Meadows Campsite
This rural, village campsite is by the river and working mill; explore the area on foot, or by bike or boat.
Lyveden Cottage
Mystery, beauty, and the peace of forgotten places surround this cottage in the Northamptonshire countryside.
Wainman House
A gorgeous Georgian house with stylish interiors and a private terraced garden in the small town of Wisbech.
Upcoming events
Event
Boat Tour and Tour of Houghton Mill 2025
Take a boat tour from St Ives Quay to Houghton Mill enjoying the peace of the River Great Ouse in an electric riverboat; followed by a Guided Tour of Houghton Mill. Price to include the return boat trip and tour of the Mill.
About Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows
Follow this amazing survival story of a mill that was almost demolished, then saved by the local villagers and restored to working order to carry on the tradition of milling on this site for over 1,000 years.
Set in an idyllic village location on an island on the Great Ouse River, Houghton Mill has inspired artists and photographers for generations. Come and experience the sound and atmosphere of a traditional working mill, have a go at making flour or lose yourself in the tranquillity of the riverside setting and stay a while at our campsite.
History
Article
History of Houghton Mill
Houghton Mill was a regional powerhouse at the height of the Victorian era, producing flour on an industrial scale. It later welcomed artists and the YHA, as an unusual place to stay.
Houghton Mill's art and collections
Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Houghton Mill on the National Trust Collections website.
News
Flouring collaboration between Cambridgeshire National Trust treasures
Houghton Mill now producing flour from wheat grown on Wimpole Estate
Our work
Article
Our work at Houghton Mill
From cleaning grain from the millstones to rebuilding the sluice gate, discover how we’re working to preserve Houghton Mill and keep it running for years to come.
Support us
Article
Volunteer opportunities at Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows
From tour guiding to keeping the picturesque campsite in top shape, find out about the volunteer roles available at Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows, how to apply and more. To find out more about volunteering at Houghton Mill, contact houghtonmill@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01480 301494. Alternatively, you can search for ‘Houghton Mill’ on the National Trust volunteering website below to find opportunities and to apply.