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Welcome

Welcome to the Dean Heritage Centre, one of Gloucestershire’s leading family attractions. Set amongst five acres of stunning scenery, the centre protects and preserves the unique history and heritage of the Forest of Dean. There are a wide range of things to explore and discover with five inter-active galleries exploring the history of the Forest, including a Victorian schoolroom, Forester's cottage, Charcoal Burners Camp, Waterwheel, Beam Engine and much more! The Centre hosts special events, exhibitions and educational workshops throughout the year. Our current woodland trail, based on the much loved children's book The Gruffalo, is set amongst our woodland site.

 

Dean Heritage Centre exterior view

Level access

The main entrance has level access.

There is level access from the main entrance to:

Entrance, shop, Gallery 1 & 2 & Victorian SchoolroomReceptionDisabled access toiletDHC Gift ShopGallery 3 & 5, Gage Library & Coffee ShopCottage and GardensWoodland Playground

There is level access from the car park to:

Picnic area by Millpond

Access with steps

There are steps from the main entrance to:

Replica Mine opening and Charcoal Burner's camp

Hearing

The fire alarm has flashing lights.
Some staff have disability awareness training.

Visual

Glass doors and full-height windows have contrast markings.
The walls and the doors have high colour contrast.
Some parts of the venue have low lighting.
We have display information in audio.
We have information in audio.
A Heritage Ability Guide is available to borrow from reception. It is a hand held tablet and tours of all the Galleries and outside exhibits are in sign language.

General

We have a concessionary rate for disabled visitors.
We have a complimentary ticket policy for personal assistants.
There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
Some staff have disability awareness training.
We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.

Getting here

Camp Mill
Soudley
Cinderford
GL14 2UB

Travel by public transport

You can get to Dean Heritage Centre by bus.
The local bus stops in the village . The bus stop is 5 miles / 8.1 km from Dean Heritage Centre.

https://bustimes.org/services/717-lydney-upper-soudley-cinderford

https://bustimes.org/services/781-blakeney-cinderford-blaisdon-gloucester

Travel by taxi

You can get a taxi with CDS Taxis by calling 01594 834834. The taxi company has a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

Parking

We have a car park. There are accessible parking spaces. The parking is less than 50 metres from the main entrance. Parking is free.
There is a drop-off point at the main entrance. The drop-off point does not have a dropped kerb.
From the car park to the entrance, there is level access. The route is 2000mm wide, or more.

Disabled parking is right outside main entrance and main car park is just a few meters away.

view of car park from entrance doors Disabled parking area close to entrance.

Arrival

Path to main entrance

From the street to the main entrance, there is level access.
The path is 2000mm wide, or more.
The path is sloped.

Main entrance

The main entrance has level access.
The door is 2000mm wide.
The main door is side hung and manual.
View of entrance

Getting around inside

Visual Impairment - General Information

We have contrast markings on all glass doors, contrast markings on all full-height windows and high colour contrast between walls and doorframes.
Some parts of the venue have low lighting.
Victorian Schoolroom view of Gallery 3 from Gallery 4 Forester's Cottage bedroom Gallery 5

Ticket/ information desk

Reception

From the main entrance to the desk, there is level access. The route is 2000mm wide, or more.
The door is 2000mm wide, or more.
view of reception and entrance to shop

Things to See and Do

We have a concessionary rate for disabled visitors.
We have a complimentary ticket policy for personal assistants.
We have performances with: audio-described.
We have display information in: audio.

Entrance, shop, Gallery 1 & 2 & Victorian Schoolroom

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 1900mm wide, or more. The door is 1900mm wide.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.
Some videos have subtitles.
view of Gallery 1 looking towards Reception

Public toilet

Disabled access toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.
The route is 1900mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 850mm wide.
The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the left.
There is 1200mm at the side of the toilet. There is 700mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 450mm high. The toilets have handrails.
view of disabled toilet

Shop

DHC Gift Shop

From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. The route is 900mm wide, or more. The door is 900mm wide.
The route through the shop is 800mm wide, or more.
Reception and entrance to shop view of shop from entrance to galleries

Place to eat and drink

Heritage Coffee Shop

There is a permanent ramp. The route is 900mm wide, or more. The door is 900mm wide.
To get to a table, there are no steps.
The route through the dining area is 800mm wide, or more.
There is no background music.
The table and plates have high colour contrast.
We cater for sugar free (diabetic), vegetarian, gluten free (celiacs), lactose free (dairy free), nut free, low fat and vegan specific diets.
coffee shop showing walk through area view from coffee shop to decking area showing steps Coffee shop toilets Disabled parking and drop off point for Coffee Shop decking ramp to coffee shop steps to coffee shop by main entrance

Gallery 3 & 5, Gage Library & Coffee Shop

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 1000mm wide, or more.
The door is 900mm wide.

The 1st floor is accessed via a ramp at the rear of the building

Ramp to 1st floor at rear of building view of ramp going towards toilet block entrance to gallery 5 from ramp on level 1 view of double doors out of gallery 5 for access to coffee shop door to corridor for rear entrance to coffee shop rear entrance to coffee shop on level 1

Getting around outside

Cottage and Gardens

From the main entrance to the gardens, there is level access.
The route is 900mm wide, or more.

Access to the cottage is across a gravel walkway. There are ridges to negotiate in doorways through building.

access through mill building towards cottage view towards cottage showing gravel walkway cottage entrance rear of cottage and garden

Replica Mine opening and Charcoal Burner's camp

From the main entrance to the gardens, there are 14 steps. There is no lift and no ramp.
The route is sloped.

The route to the replica mine opening and Charcoal Burner's Camp are via steps or there is an alternative route off the main path up a slope. These paths are more challenging than the main path. 

stone step to main flight of steps to mine opening flight of steps to mine steps on path to charcoal Burner's camp area towards mine opening image showing slope from main path as alternative route to charcoal Burner's camp and mine Charcoal Burner's camp

Designated Walking Trail

Gruffalo Trail

The trail is 100metres long. Some of the trail has a loose surface.

The Gruffalo trail is along a woodland track which is uneven in places but accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs

start of Gruffalo Trail further along woodland path showing tree roots

Picnic Area

Picnic area by Millpond

From the car park to the picnic area, there is level access. The path is 900mm wide, or more.
The entrance is 900mm wide.
Some tables have space for wheelchair users. You can bring your own food to the picnic area.

Food purchased from the coffee shop can also be eaten here 

seating area by millpond

Woodland Playground

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 900mm wide, or more. The entrance is 1155mm wide.

Double doors provide access to outside by millpond

access to outside area from Gallery 1 woodland playground view of access to woodland playground across brook

Customer care support

Accessibility equipment

Heritage Ability Guide

For a list of more items, please go to http://www.deanheritagecentre.com/plan-your-visit/accessibility.
Opposite the Centre is Soudley Ponds which has an accessible circular walk with dog waste bins.
You can hire mobility equipment from Freedom Mobility Services, Ross-on-Wye by calling 01989 762484.
You can hire mobility equipment from Mobility Monmouth by calling 01600 715766.
You can hire mobility equipment from Countryside Mobility by calling 01392 456522.

Emergency evacuation procedures

We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.
The fire alarm has flashing lights.

Emergency lighting throughout Centre

Customer care support

Some staff have disability awareness training.
We have information in audio .
A Heritage Ability Guide is available to borrow from reception. It is a hand held tablet and tours of all the Galleries and outside exhibits are in sign language.
Guide info
Any information, comments and views made available to users via this Accessibility Guide are provided directly from third party business operators. VisitEngland and VisitScotland do not endorse or validate this information. Any reliance on this Accessibility Guide is at your own risk. This guide is not intended to be a substitute for users making their own checks, inquiries and investigations directly with the business operators prior to making any booking or visiting the venue.