A COTTAGE relocated from north Bromsgrove to Avoncroft Museum at a cost of £200,000 is to open its doors to the public.

From Wednesday, September 23, visitors to the museum will be able to see inside the rebuilt and refurnished Nailer’s Cottage which depicts how life would have been for Midlanders in the 1930s.

The cottage originally stood at 79 Old Birmingham Road in Bromsgrove and had hardly been altered in 80 years. It had been earmarked for demolition before Avoncroft came to its rescue.

Avoncroft was forced to close for several weeks by the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year and relied on donations to keep it afloat but the new attraction has been secured through long-term funding.

The relocation and furnishing of the cottage over a number of years has had support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Connie & Albert Taylor Trust, Edward Cadbury Trust and Bromsgrove Society.

Nick Sturgess, acting deputy director of Avoncroft, said: “I am delighted that we’re opening the Nailer’s Cottage to the general public.

"It tells a story of not just local interest but also regional interest as it shows how Midlands families adapted their homes to the loss of cottage industry.

"In this case the inhabitants had given up making nails and gone to work at Longbridge to make cars.

“It has taken a long time to get the interior detail right but we’re delighted to finally be able to say that the public can to look inside and learn more about this fascinating period of change in Midlands history.”

Avoncroft Museum in Bromsgrove shows Midlands life from the 1500s to the present day through a collection of buildings.

It is open Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10.30am and tickets need to be pre-booked on the website to comply with Covid-19 safety measures.

For more information about Avoncroft Museum and to book tickets, visit www.avoncroft.org.uk or email collections@avoncroft.org.uk