MUSEUM bosses are celebrating after Walton's Old Lifeboat House was officially recognised as a historic building after more than 130 years.

The building, which now houses Walton Maritime Museum, was built on East Terrace in 1884.

It has finally been put on England's historic buildings list because of the lifeboat house's importance.

The decision was made by Historic England.

Museum curator Dr Josie Close hopes the grade-two listing will prevent plans for a new development going ahead next door to the lifeboat house.

She has objected to the application for four new homes on the site, claiming they will "overpower" the listed building.

The Old Lifeboat House was originally built as a base for the crew.

It was extended in 1899 to house the new James Stevens No.14, which is now the world's oldest surviving motor lifeboat and still based at the museum.

Frinton and Walton Heritage Trust bought the Old Lifeboat House in 1984 and have run it as a maritime museum ever since.

Mrs Close said: "It is one of under 25 old lifeboat stations included in England’s List of Historic Buildings, so it is special.

"The decision was timely too. Listing has raised awareness of the building’s importance even while construction on the adjacent site threatens to overpower it in height and proximity.

"The museum records the resort’s development, its social and geological history as well as commemorating Walton’s early lifeboats and their crews."

The Historic England listing says lifeboat stations are "key buildings" of coastal and sea-faring communities and usually have "considerable historic interest and communal value”.

It praises the building's ornamental fish-scale tiling, decorative moulded brickwork and window, creating a "finely detailed and strikingly composed building".

It added: "Other than the replacement of the main doors, the lifeboat house has remained almost in its original state, retaining all the external detailing as well as the open plan interior with its king-post roof trusses and mezzanine.”

The maritime museum is open from 2-4pm every afternoon until the end of September.