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The Basildon Heritage office will be closed on Saturday 6th December 2025 as we are unveiling a blue plaque for suffragette, Elsie Lagsdine, at the Benbow Club in Bowers Gifford. This will take place from 12:00 until 13:30.

Christmas Closure - From Saturday 20th December 2025 (closed on the 20th) - opening up on Saturday 3rd January 2026.

Did you Know?

During the Cold War, Basildon, like much of South Essex, was identified as a potential target for Soviet nuclear attacks. A secret government report from the 1950s, released by the National Archives, listed the area as one of the locations the Soviet Union planned to target with a hydrogen bomb. The reason for this targeting was likely due to the area's industrial importance and its role close to a major port for freight distribution.