Welcome to the Brightlingsea Museum
Brightlingsea is a coastal town in the Tendring district of Essex, roughly mid-way between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, situated at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. It has an estimated population of 8500.
Its traditional industries included fishery (with a renowned oyster fishery) and shipbuilding. With the decline of these industries, the town is largely a dormitory town for Colchester, and a popular retirement destination.
The Museum is open as follows:
Saturday 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Sunday and Mondays 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm
Last entry 45 minutes before closing.
A Celebration of Brightlingsea's past and present.
A major display gives an insight into how the people of Brightlingsea lived in Roman times. From the evidence of central heating, glass in windows, decorated walls and the wide range of of kitchen and tableware found locally it would seem local residents enjoyed comfortable living.
Examples of all of these items are on display, taken from the Brightlingsea Museum collection with the addition of important items from Colchester Museum. From Colchester are pots dredged from the sea by Brightlingsea fishermen, and the very expensive food mixer with a lion's head decoration which so impressed Dr Dicken in his 'History of Brightlingsea' (1913 and 1939).
Other new displays include the shipbuilding and the oyster industry, the restoration of the skillinger 'Pioneer', the Brightlingsea One Design, the Churches Together and shopping in Brightlingsea 100 years ago. We are also pleased to include displays from two of the towns most active organisations, Brightlingsea in Bloom and the Carnival Association.
All of this and our permanent exhibitions about our connections with the Cinque Ports and the days of railway in Brightlingsea.
We also have a wide selection of videos of different events in the town, some of them going back some while - are you in them?
Organisations and groups are most welcome to arrange private visits, when light refreshments can be made available. Please contact Margaret Stone 01206 303286
