THE Royal Gunpowder Mills played host to two distinguished guests when actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales visited to unveil a new plaque.

The Waltham Abbey venue, in Beaulieu Drive, has been awarded the Red Wheel plaque by the Transport Trust in recognition of its historical contribution to British industry.

After a short tour of the site's current interactive exhibition on gunpowder, guests to the unveiling heard a speech by trust chairman Trevor Knapp on the history of the site.

Neil Marshall of the Transport Trust then spoke on the site's use of the River Lee for transportation before Mr West unveiled the heritage plaque and said a few words himself.

Mills' marketing manager Michelle Moore said: “He remarked that, in his lifetime, he had seen the demise of freight transportation by canal, steam railways and the end of shipbuilding in Britain, but was warmed by the number of both railway and canal restoration projects, and places - such as the Royal Gunpowder Mills - ensuring that we preserved and valued our transport heritage.

“He commented that there was no better place to showcase and celebrate Britain’s industrial heritage.”