Mersea Museum in 2022

Exhibitions

The history of Mersea and the surrounding areas. The many exhibits include sections on Local History, Natural History, Social History, Marine and Geology.

Changing Times
- from the Bronze Age to the Platinum Jubilee

The New Elizabethan Age
1950s
- the Coronation, the Great Flood, boundary changes, National Service, School becomes primary-only.
1960s
- the icy winter of 1963, self-service petrol station, changing from mud tracks to tarmac roads, first West Mersea Lifeboat and development over the years, the Poachers, Orleans, Langenhoe Church, Catholic Church ...
1970s
- the Royal Jubilee, new Doctors' Surgery, Library, Fire Station ...
1980s
- bus station became Mersea Island Community Centre, Co-op Self Service store, gas arrived on the Island, Hall Barn, Digby's shop closed ...
1990s
- Passport needed to get on to Island for VE Day, boats salvaged for restoration, the end for the chalets at Coopers Beach, the Fountain and the Blackwater Hotel ...
21st Century
Bank robbery, high tide and sea wall abandoned, red squirrels, memorial soldiers at the Strood, Saskia Clarke at Olympics, Recharge project to protect harbour, White Hart ...

WW1 Memorial Soldiers and Sailors
Two of the 51 soldiers and sailors who lined the Strood in 2019 are now on display at the Museum.

Found on beach
Bones found in recent years - Iron Age skull, Bison, Wild Boar, Mammoth, Sperm Whale ...
Red Hills, Fish traps

Changing Minds Changing Coasts
A National Environment Research Council sponsored project run by CITiZAN (Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network "Mapping 100 yeasrs of coastal change on Mersea Island."
This is also available online:
Changing Minds Changing Coasts

Essex Native Oyster Restoration Initiative (ENORI)
A number of organisations working with local oystermen to build the Native Oyster into a sustainable fishery.
The past year has been a year of progress.

Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network (CITiZAN)
Local volunteers working with CITiZAN to document finds on the wetlands.

Archaeological excavation in East Mersea
Bronze Age cemetery found at East Mersea.
An excavation Sept 2019 in a field with crop circles found a Bronze Age cemetery and cremation urns. A joint project between CITiZAN and Univercity College London, with funding from the Society of Antiquaries.

The Board Walk
Bronze Age timbers from a board walk were found in the mud off Mersea in 2016. The timbers were rescued, have undergone a preservation process, and are now on display in the Museum. They have been dated to Late Bronze Age. See The Bronze Age Board Walk - a trackway across the wetlands

Audio Guide commentaries were availale for the 2022 Exhibitiion.
You can listen still listen to them...
Click Here