THE CATER OPENS ITS DOORS

Chris Brewster, Curator at the Cater Museum, opened the doors on Saturday after months of building work supported by the Heritage Lottery Grant awarded earlier in the year. What a great day with so many visitors and press presence. The little garden looks lovely now and Chris is grateful to the Friends of the Museum who have done much work to make it so pretty. The Friends work hard bringing their individual expertise to all areas of the Museum.

Now, of course, we can welcome visitors who can’t make the stairs, but who will be able to view some of our artefacts on our brand new video screen on the ground floor. As our Museum dates back to May 1960, Christine arranged the display of a beautiful vintage Ford Zodiac, kindly loaned by the Ford Motor Company. The car dates from the first year the Museum was open to the public.

More than 6 crates of objects dating from the beginning and first half of the 20th century have been recovered. And now that the miniature dig is complete, an 18th or early 19th century brick floor has appeared, a few feet below the surface. Essex County buildings expert, David Andrews, has confirmed that dating and also some surprise results.

The listed garden wall was thought to be Victorian, as one of the bricks has 1849 inscribed in it. However, Mr. Andrews confirmed that the garden wall is really earlier that thought, being Georgian, as is the house. The dated brick was added later, either as a replacement brick or for decorative or commemorative purposes.

Do come and visit us at 74 High Street, Billericay from 2pm – 5pm every day except Sunday Phone 01277 622023 Cater-museum@supanet.co.uk