A rainy day out

A couple of weeks ago the weekend was forcast to rain, and true to its forecast we woke up to rain having planned the day at the allotment. Instead we took a trip down the A303 to Shipton Bellinger to Mays Auctions where they had a general auction. It was a lovely morning out and we got to see what life is like in a true auction house rather than one which takes over a village hall for the weekend. We had a good look round, marked which lots we wanted to bid on, found a comfy seat and had bacon rolls and tea for brunch.

After loading up with our buys (more on this later) the weather had cheared up and we took the scenic route home past Wilton Windmill. We had forgotten that it was heritage weekend and it was open free for the day. By then the sun had come out and it was a lovely surprise to get to see it working as there was a good breeze aswell.





Now for the auction, among the things we bought were two project which I will keep you updated on their progress. The first was a pretty ugly show box. The front flaps down and there are shelves inside. Lot number 83 isn't much at the moment but it has now today its place on the bench in my shed, been stripped and sanded and is on its way to a pretty amazing transformation.












Lot number 105 was a bit of an impulse and certainly a longer term project. A bargain at £10 plus commission and I can see its potential.

I admit that it needs tidying up a bit and has seen better days but the wood is sound with no sign of woodworm. It has obviously had a few recoverings as there are so many staple and nail holes around the edge of the fabric and the webbing and springs are in reasonable condition.

This is it when we unloaded it from the car.







This is it an hour later.

It has a label on it from a previous auction which looks decades old and the base canvas looks good so that can stay as it is secure and the shaping for the back. I have taken photographs throughout its stripdown so hope, once the wood is refurbished that I will be able to make patterns and recover.









The next day, still being heritage weekend, we went to Bramshill house which was a once only open to the public. It was fascinating to see inside the house we lived near for so long, and remember my childhood years walking the dog around the grounds. Unfortunately it was not designed for step free access so was a bit waring for some people. It was well presented and great to see how the house has been used through its life and a fantasti history of the police force both in the UK and visiting forces from worldwide. After looking round at the history of the house we did at least get a chance to sit down and have an ice cream before the walk back to the car.