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Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows
CambridgeshireImpressive working 18th-century watermill and campsite
Mill Street, Houghton, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 2AZ
Book a visit
M T W T F S S Open
Closed
Opening times for 1 June 2026
Asset Opening time Watermill Closed Car Park 08:30 - 16:00 Tea-room 10:00 - 16:00 Book a visitMill tour 2026
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Adult (18+) £9.40 £8.50 Child (5-17) under 5s free £4.70 £4.25 Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children) £23.40 £21.25 One adult family, up to 3 children £14.10 £12.75 Group (Adult 18+) £8.08 Group (Child 5-17) £4.04 Car Park (from 1 March 2026) up to 3 hours
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Car (up to 3 hours) £3.50 Car Park (from 1 March 2026) over 3 hours
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Car (over 3 hours) £7.00 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
- Car park
We operate a pay and display system with charges for non-NT members. Parking for non-members is £3.50 for up to 3 hours (£7 for over 3 hours). Exact coins please. Members park free with a card scan. As the car park is small, there is no parking for motorhomes or caravans. Please be considerate to our village neighbours and other visitors when parking here.
- 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. Tickets need to be booked in advance. Self-led visits to the mill are available on Saturdays, with no booking needed.
- 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 A1123Parking: 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
Article
Visiting Houghton Mill
Between April and October, you can choose between two ways to visit our historic watermill. On Wednesdays, book in advance for a guided tour. A friendly, knowledgeable volunteer will take you on a journey from grain to flour. On Saturdays, come along for a self-guided visit to explore at your leisure. Read this article to help plan your visit.
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
Houghton Mill welcome leaflet
Orientation map and accessibility information for visitors to Houghton Mill
PDF
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.
Spotlight events
Boat Tour and Tour of Houghton Mill
Take a boat tour from St Ives Quay, enjoying the peace and scenery of the River Great Ouse, followed by a guided tour of the historic watermill.
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 grinding grain 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.
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.
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.
Wainman House
A tall Georgian house in the small town of Wisbech, with a key for Peckover's walled garden.
Upcoming events
Event
Boat Tour and Tour of 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 Houghton Mill. Tickets include the return boat trip and tour of the Mill.
Event
Slow Stitching Workshop
Unwind by the river and discover the mindful art of 'slow stitching' this July.
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.
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.
