Welcome to the BBCS website

STOP PRESS! Due to heavy demand our free local history course is to run a third time starting 11 June 2012. Places still available.

Go to the foot of 'Society Projects' to download our free John Ray Walk leaflet.

The Society's aims are:-

  • To encourage by charitable means high standards of architecture and town planning in Braintree and the surrounding area.
  • To stimulate public interest in, and care for, the beauty, history and character of the area.
  • To encourage the preservation, development and improvement of features of general public amenity and of historic interest.

The Society pursues these aims by means of meetings, exhibitions, lectures, publications, other forms of instruction and publicity, and by making grants to aid the restoration and preservation of property and items of historical interest.

Quarterly meetings are held in Braintree, in January, April, July and October, with interim business largely carried out by email. Members come from a variety of backgrounds, membership is free and anyone who is sympathetic to the Society's aims would be welcome to join.

The Society was formed on 31 January 1967 motivated by public outcry for the need to preserve Tudor Cottages in Bradford Street, Bocking. This was a time when there was a general feeling of looking only to the future, rather than to the past, in architecture and town planning. Across the country many handsome old buildings were swept away and Braintree suffered badly.

The cottages were saved and, after use as a museum, eventually sold as three dwellings. Interest from the sale proceeds is used today to fund various projects that fall within the Society's aims.

Future Meetings

Thursday, 26 January 2012
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Thursday, 18 October 2012 AGM

Meetings start at 7:30pm and are held
at the Queen's Head Public House
140 Rayne Road, Braintree, CM7 2QR.