During the first week of April, Sussex Transport delivered building materials to Chichester District Museum (The Novium) on one of its fleet of 7.5t curtain side vehicles.
The origins of the Chichester Museum date back to the beginning of the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution had created a thirst for educational opportunities across all classes of society, and the museum was founded in 1831
By the 1890s the museum was short of funds. Visitor numbers had dropped to 600 and members seemed more interested in using the museum to play cards or snooker. In 1914 the army commandeered the museum, and there were complaints of wanton damage to what exhibits were left and by 1924 the museum collection had been completely sold.
During the 1930s many attempts were made to resurrect the museum; letters to local newspapers showed support for the idea of a museum, but it needed to concentrate on objects of local interest and educational value, rather than a “dusty collection of curiosities such as a double-headed sheep or a hand cut from a convicted forger.”
In 1982 archaeologists excavating an Iron Age and Roman site were told that a nearby gravel pit was well known as a place where flint hand axes could be collected. In 1983 they started excavating in the bottom of the gravel pit. What they found over the next few years completely changed our knowledge of the early prehistory of Britain – humans were living in this part of Sussex half a million years ago!
Sussex Transport can deliver haulage solutions throughout the UK and Europe – however we have great relationships with local businesses too!
