This is the Official Website for the Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre which is located in a Grade 1 listed former Royal Gunpowder Magazine. The building is considered by Historic England to be the outstanding remaining example of a typically British type of magazine.
Explore the historic gunpowder magazine, see military artefacts up close, and uncover the fascinating stories that shaped Purfleet. Family-friendly and perfect for history enthusiasts!
Take part in guided tours and walks and attend special events showcasing local heritage, military history and culture.
Visit Magazine No.5
The historic Grade 1 listed building is history in itself, built between 1763 and 1765 to house the UK's gunpowder reserve.
Presentations
We can visit your school or adult group or Care Home to give a wide range of history presentations and "show and tell" sessions and even the odd sing-along!
Take a walk with us
We offer walks around Purfleet-on-Thames. Our Ghost and Folklore Walk is the favourite, or explore local history with us. Book here.
Group Visits
We cater for schools, cubs, scouts, cadets and adult groups with a number of guided options available. We are a Dementia Friendly Venue.
Don't miss our Events
Visit the Heritage Centre on Event days ranging from the Annual Gurkha Festival and Salute! to Vehicle displays and Dracula Day!
Purfleet's History
We tell the rich history of Purfleet-on-Thames from Tudor times to today.
Did you know it was a tourist destination with Botanical Gardens in Victorian times?
What is happening at the Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre
At 11am on Sunday 16th August, as part of the Salute! Event at the Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre we will be dedicating a model of the aircraft flown by Polish Flying Officer Franciszek Gruska.
This is the latest model in the '1940 Model Trail of Remembrance'. This project was created in April 2024 with the aim to dedicate airmen from the 1940 conflicts using models to recreate their aircraft and selected ground scenes to dedicate their ground teams. The initial figures were 21 models across 7 museums. This has now grown to 880 aircrew to be dedicated across 58 museums or collections.
So far 11 Museums and 5 collections/private collections are displaying 44 dedications to 48 aircrew , RAF & Luftwaffe.
Franciszek Gruszka was born on 21st January 1910, and commenced military service in 1931, transferred to the Air Force and graduated from the Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin on 15th August 1934. He was commissioned as a pilot instructor in III/6 squadron based near Lwow (now Lviv).
After the German invasion in September 1939 he claimed a He111 destroyed but then escaped Poland, passing through Romania, Yugoslavia, and Italy to Paris, arriving on 7th October 1939.
He chose to travel on to England rather than enlist in the French Air Force and was commissioned in the RAFVR on 20th February 1940. He joined 65 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch on 7th August 1940.
On 18th August 1940, now remembered as "The Hardest Day" of the Battle of Britain, he took off in Spitfire R6713 to intercept a German bomber formation. He was seen dog-fighting over Canterbury and Manston and chasing a German fighter.
He was never seen again and declared Missing. He was commemorated on the Polish War Memorial at Northolt.
In the spring of 1975 the wreck of his Spitfire was found in marshy ground at Stodmarsh near Canterbury. His uniform and personal items had been preserved by the conditions, in particular a gold fountain pen engraved with the names of his fellow pilots, this was accepted as positive identification and he was buried with full military honours at Northwood, Middlesex on 17th July 1975.
The fountain pen, his medals and a number of other personal items are already on display at the Heritage Centre and the model, built by Dom Pound, will be displayed alongside them as a tribute to this heroic airman.
The ceremony is free to attend and open to the public.
Next week we will pay tribute to our friend and much loved colleague Len Milledge at the Heritage Centre.
Len was a military man from his time as a cadet, through his service in the RAF Regiment and later as our standard bearer at many an event. A former trustee and the curator of our RAF Regiment display, his cheerful smile and wicked sense of humour has been missed by all at PMHC since his death in May last year.
On Wednesday 17th June we will be holding a ceremony to unveil a plaque in what will always be Len's RAF Regiment bay.
All welcome, please arrive around 11:30am for the unveiling at 12 noon and refreshments afterwards.
The Heritage Centre was grateful to host Ian Mansfield, who runs the "IanVisits" website, a guide to London's culture and transport news, and events happenuing across the city.
Ian regularly reviews the multitude of museums across London, and ventured outside his usual patch to visit Purfleet two weeks ago.
His review of the Heritage Centre is here and makes a great read.
Many thanks Ian, and we hope to host you again in the future.
The first special exhibition of 2026 will open to the public on Wednesday the 18th of March and will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the first ever flight of Britain's most iconic aircraft, the Supermarine Spitfire.
The exhibition, put on in conjunction with author and historian Richard C. Smith, will be on for just one month until the 19th of April so don't miss out!
The Centre also features a static exhibit on the Battle of Britain and the largest collection of original artefacts from RAF Hornchurch so this is a must see for all aviation enthusiasts.
Details of opening times can be downloaded here.
The Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre, in conjunction with local councillors Aaron Green and Lee Watson, are appealing for local people with a talent for Crochet to assist us to create a stunning display for Remembrance 2026.
All you need to do to assist is use the pattern, which can be downloaded below, or picked up in person from the Heritage Centre, and use it to create red or purple poppies.
These will need to be delivered to the Heritage Centre by the 19th October 2026.
Thank you in advance and Happy Crocheting!
CONTACT US
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