Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre

03/10/2026

Two images of Wolverton taken around 100 years apart! They look east along Church Street towards the shops and Queen Victoria pub. The older picture features Sykes & Son.

1. Church Street, Wolverton; Maurice Kitchener; early 20th century; KIT/32/118; copyright of the Kitchener family
2. Church Street, Wolverton; Nigel Paterson; 2017; _DSC8792; copyright of Nigel Paterson

In our archive we look after a collection of glass plate negatives from the early 20th century, taken by local photographer Maurice Kitchener. These have all been digitised and are available to view online. See the 🔗 in the comments to explore.

02/10/2026

📅 We’ve got lots of exciting events coming up here at Bradwell Abbey!
Grab your Children’s Halloween tickets via our website 👻

miltonkeynesevents

30/09/2026

Bradwell Abbey makes a lovely base for a walk. As Autumn draws in the trees will start changing colour and the site will become a mix of atmospheric history and beautiful nature.

We look after the Scheduled Monument site and its listed buildings on behalf of the community. Bradwell Abbey is a public site with free parking and you can extend your walk south to Lodge Lake, east into Bradwell village or north to the concrete cows and Roman villa.

Why not pick up one of our Autumn Pilgrim Trail booklets and discover the nature that thrives in Autumn whilst getting ideas for activities to help explore the world around you. Pick one up from our offices between 9am and 2.30pm Monday to Friday. Interested in exploring the full trail? Check the 🔗in the comments for the project page.

28/09/2026

These images document the building of Christ the Cornerstone Church, the moment artist and metalsmith Alan Evans’ cross was placed on top of the dome.

They’re from the archive collection of Studio MK, a commercial photography business that was commissioned to record the construction of many buildings in Milton Keynes from the late 1980s onwards.

We purchased this collection from the owner earlier this year with the help of a grant from the Friends of the Nations’ Libraries. It contains hundreds of transparencies, negatives and prints covering a crucial period in the history of the new city. We’re currently processing the large volume of material and will be cataloguing it in stages, hopefully with the help of volunteers.

26/09/2026

If you’ve visited Bradwell Abbey you might have driven along Alston Drive, the road that provides access to us and the industrial estate from H3 Monks Way. Have you ever wondered why it’s called Alston Drive?

The manor of Bradwell Abbey was owned by a succession of Sir Joseph Alstons from 1666 to around 1715. The 1st Baronet bought Bradwell Abbey as a country retreat and died in 1688, closely followed by his son, the 2nd baronet, in 1689. The 2nd baronet’s son, also Joseph, sold the estate around 1715.

However, the Alstons weren’t the longest standing owners of the manor. That title goes to the Longevilles, gifted Bradwell Abbey by Henry VIII in around 1543. After over a century in charge the family sold it in 1650 to pay mounting debts incurred by Sir Thomas Longeville’s support for the Crown during the Civil War.

The naming of the road as Alston Drive is one of many examples of the new city preserving its history through nomenclature.

23/09/2026

An attractive city...

This leaflet, produced by the Recreation Unit of the Milton Keynes Development Corporation in March 1986, describes a walk around Mill Field in Stony Stratford, starting at the car park on Calverton Road (now called Mortimer Park, named after Pat Mortimer – a local councillor and director of the Urban Studies Centre and then the City Discovery Centre).

From our Reference Library collection, which can be accessed by the public via appointment.

21/09/2026

"It'll match the daffodils." Adding external cladding to some of the city's first industrial units at Kiln Farm, early 1970s.

Picture from our Image Archive. We look after thousands of images of the development of Milton Keynes new city. Explore more through the link in the comments.

📸 IMA/CA/4242

19/09/2026

Early proposals for the City Park (later called Campbell Park) included a water carpet, a glass bridge, an anechoic grotto and a playcastle. Please give us your guesses on what three out of four of those things are (we can picture a glass bridge).

MAH/02/03/030; City Centre Park, Central Belvedere; Bo Mahaddie for Milton Keynes Development Corporation; 1975

17/09/2026

On site at Bradwell Abbey this Sunday!

•••SUNDAY MARKET•••

We have a fabulous line up of Food, Drink & Dessert Vendors together with special treats and gifts for you to take home.

📆 20th September 2026 - Sunday
🕰️ 11-4pm
📍 Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre MK13 9AP

Free Entry
- Indoor seating & onsite bar
- Parking nearby + disabled parking
- Dogs allowed, must be kept on a lead

Street Food Vendors:
Please note that we add dietary options for those that need to know. Please also check with vendors directly.

V - Vegetarian option available
Vg - Vegan option available
GF - Gluten Free option available

Disco Fries
Good Times Cafe UK - V
La Pitta/The Greeks - V
Little Urban Chef - V/GF
Pecoro on the road - V/Vg/GF
the big burger shaq

Bar: MKCDC onsite Bar

Dessert / Sweet:
Chouxly Scrumptious - GF option
Great Gelato - coffee / cookies / gelato / milkshakes - Vg/GF

Market Vendors:
Carlys Candle Company
Home Farm MK - Local Honey
Liberté Market Garden
Piccolina Bakery
R&J Pet Co.- Pet treats & accessories
The Chocolate Mill MK
The Fat Mallow Company
Tiny Terra
Wood'n'things by John Gaylor.

We look forward to seeing you.

16/09/2026

Calling all teachers, teaching assistants and school staff! Looking for an educational visit that brings history to life for your class or year group? Our range of sessions on history and geography topics could be the answer.

Pupils can experience life in the Roman army, learn about places names in Saxon England, attempt to move Stonehenge in the Stone Age and identify aircraft in World War II, plus loads more!

Find out more about our history and geography days at the lınk in our comments and then get in touch to book your trip.