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Maritime Mersea
Location: Essex
The project is promoting awareness of the traditional fishing, oyster growing and boat design industries of Mersea Island. The area was famous for its oysters during the Roman and medieval periods. Dredging of sea oysters and scallops has been a long standing tradition along the Colne estuary, and Mersea Island was the centre of a herring fishing industry, which flourished in the 1950s and is still carried on today. Dredging smacks were built at nearby towns.
A festival was held at Mersea Island in 2005 celebrating this heritage with educational exhibitions, displays and interactive activities. An illustrated booklet was produced (see images), and distributed locally.
Another festival is planned for 2007. It is hoped that there will be traditional storytelling about local marine folklore and traditional oyster dredging under sail, incorporating a dredging match. Boat trips to a nearby island to visit historic Oyster Packing Sheds containing information about the history of oyster cultivation will be available and a restored 19th century oyster-dredging smack will be on display.
Group Name |
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West Mersea Town Council |
| Project Contact |
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D. G. Tucker |
| Address |
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10 Melrose Road, West Mersea, Colchester, CO5 8JD |
| Project Postcode |
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CO5 8PG |
| Finishing Date |
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31 May 07 |
| Grants: |
Heritage Lottery Fund: £24738
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