WITCH Computer Display

The WITCH computer sits in a converted Victorian villa near Milton Keynes, and it's genuinely remarkable - a room-filling machine from 1951 that once controlled the entire Ferranti factory in Manchester. You're looking at six tonnes of valves, relays and mercury delay lines that somehow ran an industrial operation. The display lets you see how it actually worked, which sounds dry until you realize people were solving complex engineering problems on this thing when most households didn't have a television.

It appeals most to engineering enthusiasts and serious history buffs rather than casual visitors. If you've got kids obsessed with computers or technology, they'll find it interesting enough, but don't expect interactive screens and push buttons - this is about looking, learning and understanding a fundamentally different era of computing. Allow ninety minutes to two hours, and go when the place is quiet if you want proper explanations from whoever's on duty.

The location works well as a side trip while based at The Old Dairy Farm Camping or Gullivers Campsite, both within a few miles. It fills a gap between Milton Keynes town centre and the countryside - not the sort of thing you'd base a whole day around, but worthwhile if you're already in the area and the weather's turned rubbish. Worth ringing ahead to confirm it's actually open, since details are thin on the ground.