Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre

Bradwell Abbey
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK13 9AP
England

Website

www.mkcdc.org.uk

E-mail

Education

education@mkcdc.org.uk

Library

library@mkcdc.org.uk

Telephone

01908 227229

Fax

01908 222235

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

St Marys Chapel at Bradwell Abbey, a Medieval site in Milton Keynes

The City Discovery Centre was set up in 1987 as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. The present organisation is not linked to any national body and represents an amalgamation of two earlier groups, the Milton Keynes Urban Studies Centre and the Bradwell Abbey Field Centre Trust.

The main objective of CDC is to promote a greater appreciation and understanding of the historical, natural and built environments of Milton Keynes.

The secondary objectives of CDC are: to promote urban geography and urban planning/design using Milton Keynes as a model; to inform and educate the public about urban geography and urban planning/design, and its role in the future development of Milton Keynes; to promote geography as a subject in schools; to promote careers related to geography as a subject; and to deliver history activity days covering the Roman, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart periods.

CDC holds a 25-year lease on Bradwell Abbey, the site and remains of a medieval Benedictine Priory and now a SAM (scheduled ancient monument). The lease was granted in 1997 and has served to extend the role of CDC to include heritage management and heritage interpretation.

Venue Type:

Library, Archive, Gallery, Heritage site, Archaeological site, Architecture centre, Garden, parklands or rural site, Sacred space, Campaign or initiative

Opening hours

The library is open from 10 to 2, Monday to Friday.
You are very welcome to visit the library to view images, documents, maps etc. There is desk space available for study. Visits are available through out the year and are arranged by appointment.

Admission charges

We have regular open days throughout the year that are free. Charges are applicable for organised group visits, such as schools and universities.

General services and facilities

Guided tours
Auditorium
Gardens open to public
Parking for coaches

Children and families

Events and resources for children and families

Disability access

Parking for disabled available
Toilets for disabled
Wheelchair access to some public areas

Schools services and facilities

Direct teaching services for schools
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Primary school education service available
Secondary school education service available
Education facilities available

Research and adult learning

Academic publications and resources available
Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
Library
Research facilities for academics
Study facilities

Commercial and hire services

Facilities for private functions and events
Meeting room available

Additional info

Our library is open to the public by appointment only.

Bradwell Abbey
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK13 9AP
England

Website

www.mkcdc.org.uk

E-mail

Education

education@mkcdc.org.uk

Library

library@mkcdc.org.uk

Telephone

01908 227229

Fax

01908 222235

The Archive consists of a unique collection of over 2000 documents relating to the development of Milton Keynes from its inception to the present day. Much of the material was published by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. Examples include:

Census and other data from population, household and employment surveys
Reports on the development of the infrastructure of the new city
Planning documents for the city as a whole and local areas within it.
City maps from 1975 onwards.
Reports of the work done by the Corporation's Archaeological Unit.
Posters and marketing material.

We also hold an extensive collection of documents relating to current plans for the growth of Milton Keynes and the surrounding area.

The Image Collection consists of some 10,000 slides and transparencies of Milton Keynes taken over the last 30 years including;aerial views, buildings, landscapes, parks, waterways, central MK, local centres, sport and recreation etc.