Rowland Watson Gunmakers

The Belvoir estate is set in truly stunning English landscape. With deep valleys, ancient parkland and lakes, it’s home to one of the best pheasant shoots in the world. So, we’re delighted that one of the country’s oldest gunmakers has set up shop in the beautifully restored Engine Yard retail village.

A fascinating place to visit, Rowland Watson Gunmakers was originally founded in 1723. Inside the store, you’ll find an exclusive range of ornate, lovingly hand-crafted guns and rifles for sale, alongside traditional outdoor country clothing of the highest quality. Think luxurious tweed jackets, moleskins and hunting boots. Plus, the store has all the accessories you’ll need for a successful sporting shoot, like gloves and socks, glasses and leather bags.

Preserving an artisan trade

It’s well worth popping in. Even if it’s just to check out the shop’s incredible interior. Beautifully fitted out by the new owner, Mark Knezevic, with handmade display cabinets for the guns and rifles. For him, it’s all about preserving this artisan trade and keeping traditional gun-making alive.

History buffs will be intrigued by the record books going back hundreds of years. If you have an antique gun, this is where you can trace its history. There’s also a repair service with full restorations available for guns, rifles and cases. In time, Mark plans to take on an apprentice and train them to work in the gun-making trade.

As well as the opening hours listed above, you can also make an ‘out of hours’ appointment to bag all your shooting essentials. Simply call the shop on 01476 879177.