Barwell Meteorite 60
Celebrate 60 years since the Barwell Meteorite fall with a day of science, history, and discovery.
- 6th Dec 2025
- Included in Standard Entry
- Added Free Talks, Panels, Demonstrations
- Largest UK Meteorite Fall
- Leicestershire History
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![Barwell2]()
On 24 December 1965, a blazing fireball lit up the skies above Leicestershire before fragments of space rock rained down on the quiet village of Barwell. It remains the largest meteorite fall ever recorded in the UK — and one of the most remarkable cosmic events in British history.
Join us on Saturday 06 December 2025 as we mark the 60th anniversary of the Barwell Meteorite with a special day of activities, talks, and celebrations. From themed tabletop fun to a Mission Bake live cookery demonstration with Josh Smalley (University of Leicester and Great British Bake Off finalist) in the morning, and an afternoon panel discussion with experts, there’s something for space enthusiasts of all ages.
This event is included with standard entry — simply visit during our normal opening hours to take part in the celebrations.
Activities
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![Josh Meteorite]()
Mission Bake with Josh Smalley
- 11:00-12:00
- Josh Smalley
- LIVE Space
Start your day with Josh Smalley — Great British Bake Off finalist, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Leicester, and the university’s Science Communication Champion.
As part of his celebrated Mission Bake series, Josh will combine his passion for space and baking in a fun, hands-on demonstration that brings science of meteorites to life in the most creative (and tasty) way.
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![Barwell4]()
Barwell Meteorite Panel
- 14:00 - 15:00
- Dan Kendall, Graham Ensor, Julia Cartwright
- LIVE Space
Join our expert panel on the LIVE Space stage as we explore the story of the Barwell Meteorite, which fell across Leicestershire in 1965 and remains the largest meteorite fall ever recorded in the UK.
Hear from the National Space Centre's curator - Dan Kendall, Meteorite Collector and Expert - Graham Ensor, and Planetary Scientist - Julia Cartwright as they discuss the impact of this extraordinary event, its scientific importance, and the legacy it left behind in both the local community and the wider world of astronomy.
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![Two children and their parents testing meteorites with magnets]()
National Space Centre Table Top Activities
- TBC
- Discovery Team
- Galleries
Get hands-on with real meteorites and dive into quick-fire science fun with our Public Programmes team.
From awe-inspiring experiments to make-and-take activities you can enjoy at home, these bite-sized sessions bring space science to life in surprising and unforgettable ways.
Barwell Meteorite BM1966,64
The National Space Centre is home to part of the UK's largest recorded meteorite fall. It fell to Earth in the village of Barwell on Christmas Eve 1965 - less than 15 miles from the National Space Centre. In total around 44 kilograms of meteorite were discovered, as meteorite hunters descended on the Leicestershire village.
Barwell is a Stony meteorite, of the ordinary chondrite group. It contains chondrules - small round mineral grains, believed to be the building blocks of the rocky inner planets. They formed as molten droplets in space, before joining together with other materials to form larger objects like asteroids. Chondrules are some of the oldest solid material in the Solar System, and when they are present in a meteorite like this one, we know that they have not melted since they were first formed. This means that they have not changed for 4.55 billion years - making them older than the Earth.
The Barwell meteorite fall caused minor damage around the village, with one meteorite crashing into a car. Unsure of what had happened, the car's owner threw the meteorite away into a neighbouring field. Once he realised what he had lost, he sadly never found the piece again - it would have paid for a new car. Trying to claim on insurance, the car's owner was told that it was considered an 'act of God' by his insurance company - and therefore they would not pay out. He took his claim up with the local church, who also refused to pay out.
