Family fun day at Prittlewell Priory

A fantastic day of family fun will take place on Tuesday 9th August to mark the start of restoration and conservation work at Prittlewell Priory – and entrance is FREE.

Visitors to Priory Park will be able to attend workshops where they can make their own replica medieval tiles similar to those discovered in the ancient Priory.

Experts from the Prittlewell Priory Museum will be conducting nature and history walks and the RSPB will be holding face painting (£2) and badge making (50p) classes.

In another treat for the children Billy Bo the balloon modeller will be creating nature-inspired shapes with his famously bendy balloons.

And to keep the grown-ups happy legendary local jazz man Digby Fairweather will be performing alongside his accompanist Tony Compton.

In addition to all the fun activities going on Southend Community Safety Partnership will be popping along in the afternoon to micro-chip bicycles between 2pm and 4pm.

Hard hat tours of the Priory will run throughout the day but space is limited limited so be sure to put your name down on arrival.

Activities take place from 10am to 4pm and although entrance to the event is free any donations to the Priory restoration project will be gratefully received.

Visitors to the event can help the project further by paying for their name to be inscribed on one of the blocks of paving which will form the walkway to the new visitor centre.

John Skinner, Museums and Galleries Manager for Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, said: “We are delighted to be able to mark the start of this ambitious project with a family fun day.

“The Priory has a wonderful story to tell dating back to the 11th century. It is something we are very proud of and we are looking forward to the project’s completion in the summer of 2012.

“The grants we have received from the Council, Cory Environmental and the Heritage Lottery Fund have enabled us to begin the work.

“But more funding will be needed and any donations we receive from visitors to the family fun day will be more than gratefully received.”

Derek Jarvis, Executive Councillor for Culture and Tourism, said: “This should be a wonderful day out for all the family.

“It will gives visitors to the park the opportunity to learn about the restoration project, have fun and enjoy the great culture that Southend on Sea has to offer all at the same time.”

When it re-opens the Priory will be more accessible to all and displays inside the Grade 1 listed building will reveal its hidden history.

Visitors will be able to walk in the footsteps of medieval monks and those of the Victorian Scratton family.