Bodmin Keep – Cornwall’s Army Museum will offer guided tours of the grounds around the museum as well as the adjoining Walker Lines Industrial Estate, which served as a camp for thousands of American soldiers preparing for D-Day. The walks will commence at 10am and 12pm, from the front gate at Bodmin Keep, behind the war memorial.
For 2025’s Heritage Open Day, Bodmin Keep invites you to retrace the steps of thousands of American soldiers posted to Bodmin during the Second World War! Our free guided tours start in the grounds of the museum before exploring Walker Lines Industrial Estate, originally built as an Army camp and becoming home for thousands of American soldiers.
Bodmin Keep is over 160 years old and the historic home of the Army in Cornwall. This former barracks and headquarters of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry represents more than three hundred years of military history.
The tour begins outside of the barracks and includes the Grade II* listed war memorial at the front of the building. From here, you will be guided through the adjoining Walker Lines Industrial Estate, formally a large military camp. During the Second World War, the camp was occupied by thousands of American troops in the build up to the Normandy Landings, known as D-Day. This walk will show you some of the remaining buildings from the Second World War and bring to life its hidden heritage, with archive photographs and stories uncovered by our researchers.
This guided walk is on foot, on pavements with occasional road crossings for approximately 1 mile. Please wear suitable footwear.