Cater Museum facts for kids
The Cater Museum in Billericay High Street
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| Established | 7 May 1960 |
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| Location | 74 High Street, Billericay, England |
| Type | Local museum |
The Cater Museum is a small local museum. You can find it in Billericay, a town in Essex county, England. It opened its doors to the public on 7 May 1960.
A woman named Alice May Cater started the museum. She did this to honor her late husband, William Alexander Cater. He was a local historian who loved old things. The museum is a registered charity. It is located at 74 High Street in Billericay. The building itself is very old, built in the 1700s. It has a red brick front and is a "Grade II listed" building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
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What You Can See at the Cater Museum
The museum has many interesting items from the local area. These are called artefacts. You can explore them across three floors. The exhibits share stories about local families and old buildings.
Amazing Artefacts to Discover
Some of the most unique things you can see include:
- Reports about a Zeppelin airship. This airship crashed in the area during World War I.
- The remains of a two-headed lamb. This unusual lamb was born nearby!
- A special door from a house. This house once belonged to Christopher Martin. He was a passenger on the famous ship, the Mayflower. This ship carried some of the first European settlers to America.
The Museum's Gardens and Discoveries
The museum also has a lovely garden. It's a great place to learn about plants and history.
A Victorian Kitchen Garden
In 2002, a Victorian-style kitchen garden was opened. It is located at the back of the museum. Here, you can see many types of herbs. Some of these herbs were grown way back in the Elizabethan era.
Renovation and Hidden Treasures
In 2008, the museum received a grant of £41,000. This money came from the National Lottery. It was used to renovate the back of the building. The goal was to make it look like it did in the 1700s.
During this renovation, workers found many old items in the garden. Some of these items dated back to the 1860s. The discoveries included:
- Old Victorian pipes
- Ginger beer jars
- Medicine bottles
Many of these cool finds were added to the museum's collection. They help tell the story of Billericay's past.
