Jordans Mill and Gardens

About

Step back in time

Jordans Mill’s charming location on the banks of the River Ivel was first mentioned as a milling site in the Domesday Book of 1086. Centuries later, in 1893, the Jordans purchased what was then called Holme Mills to produce flour.

The Jordan family may be best known for producing the UK’s first breakfast cereal bar in 1979 but they were making history long before that. Six generations of William Jordans have taken the family business in Bedfordshire from agriculture and transport to innovative production methods for the flour business, followed by animal feed, before introducing granola into our diets.

Jordans Mill has been home to the Jordan family for over 150 years, it was valued at 47 shillings. At the time, the Mill was one of around 400 mills just in Bedfordshire alone.

A key part of the visitor experience is a guided tour of the iconic Mill museum. The tour, which lasts approximately one hour, takes visitors on a fascinating journey from the beginnings of milling in Bedfordshire to Jordans Cereals' place as one of the UK's leading cereal manufacturers.

During the tour, our guides bring the Mill to life through a demonstration of the ingenious milling machinery and tales of the Jordan family and the generations that worked in the Mill.

 

Explore the stunning gardens

Visitors are free to explore the Mill Gardens. Take a stroll through the unique food and flower gardens where crops, vegetables and fruits are grown in an ornamental setting alongside wild flowers and cultivated garden plants.

Cereals such as oats, rye, wheat and barley are grown in rotation with other crops like potatoes, onions and cabbages and showcase farming and the protection of wild life habitats.

Views of the River Ivel run can be seen at many points from around the gardens and the pathways lead up to lots of resting points where you can admire, rest and soak up the atmosphere.

From the Mill Gardens, stroll across the bridge into the Mill Meadow, which teems with wildflowers in the summer months, and next to the meadow is the woodland area which is specially designed to attract wildlife.

Throughout the gardens and meadow you can learn more about the River, Oats, Barley and Wheat, Wildlife habitats, Wildflowers, bees and pollination, Hedgerows and Field margins from the new site signage and information hub.

Our gardens change through the seasons and look wonderful at any time of the year.