A mum from Dover has been shocked to discover the age of her home after she found a message from painters and decorators from the 1890s.

Catherine Carter, of Buckland Avenue, discovered the message after stripping the wallpaper when re-decorating her stairs.

She thought the house had been built in 1905, but the message claims it was decorated in 1894.

It reads: “First papered by AE Vallintine April 1894 for Lewis and Sons Builders G Todd and J Johnson painters and decorators.”

Mrs Carter lives with her husband, David, 50, who is a builder, and their three children.

She said she was unsure of the initials for Todd and Johnson because of the way it was written all those years ago but the rest is fairly clear.

She said: “I didn’t realise the house was as old as 1894 or a bit older than that.

“I was quite surprised. It’s a lovely little message.

“We have put our kids’ hand prints on the walls, so I don’t know if that is something builders have done before to make their mark.”

Mrs Carter, 42, said the house was undergoing a major refurbishment of a three-storey staircase.

She has tried to research Lewis and Sons Builders, and has been told the business was a well-known company in Dover for many years but now ceases to exist. Mrs Carter is appealing for anyone with information to get in touch as she would like to learn more.