Two feeding troughs for mules which hauled shells to the heavy guns during the First World War have been revealed during clearance work in the stable block of Deal Maritime and Local History Museum.
The find, which had lain hidden for almost a century, was made as part of work to establish a new gallery in the block at the rear of the museum, in St George’s Road.
Used as a store room since the museum charity took over the site, the stable block has had a major overhaul by volunteers for the opening of the new gallery, which will be on May 4.
Clearance work revealed the troughs, which the animals used when they weren’t taking shells to the guns which were stationed at the north of the town during the war.
The walls and windows also had to be made watertight and one wall has been clad in high quality, 18th century timber, while the other walls have been painted white.
Dr Deryck Murray, chairman of the museum charity, said: “A number of volunteers have put in a lot of work over the cold winter months to bring the whole of the ground floor of the stable block into use for a new display. We can now display our wood working and boat building tools. This will help to explain how Deal’s boats were constructed.”
The new gallery, which will be open to the public whenever the museum is open, is the first step in a planned series of improvements at the museum.