FLOG IT! PRESENTER PAUL MARTIN TO HOST VALUATION DAY IN MERE

Well known popular TV antique expert, Paul Martin, will be sharing his knowledge and experience with Mere residents on Wednesday 7th February by hosting a free community valuation day at The George Inn, in the town’s Square.

The valuation day, which is being run in partnership with world renowned Devizes auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son, for which Paul is Head of Valuations, will take place 10am-3pm and is intended to encourage members of the public to dust off those items they’ve always been curious about and bring them along to be discussed, valued and perhaps sold. 

Paul would be delighted to see items ranging from antiques, collectables, silver, gold, militaria and jewellery. 

“Mere is such a lovely, archetypal Wiltshire market town,” said Paul, “and with its long and very interesting history, it’s bound to be a treasure trove. I can’t wait to see what people bring along to the day.”

Paul has been a tv presenter and expert for over 20 years on programmes including the Antiques’ Road Trip; Flog It!; CountryFile and many more. He has a new series, Paul Martin’s Auction Showdown, going live on Channel 5 this year.

“Even though I am a tv presenter and still enjoy my broadcast career, I’m an antiques man at heart and these events allow me to get back to what drives me — the people, their objects and the stories they tell.”

The day is part of a programme of valuation days being run by Paul in his role as Head of Valuations at Henry Aldridge & Son, based in Devizes. 

“Wiltshire is such a great part of the country to host these kinds of days,” said Paul. “There is so much history here and the people are really generous with their time and curiosity, so I’m sure we’ll see some fascinating items and learn lots from the stories attached to them.”

Mere is one of the oldest towns in Wiltshire, with evidence of tombs dating back as far as the Bronze Age. When Richard, Earl of Cornwall built Mere Castle on Long Hill in 1253, the town became more widely known and, when the castle was abandoned in the late 14th century, some of the original stone was salvaged to help construct more buildings in the town. The Duchy of Cornwall still owns much of the land in and around Mere and the 1868 clock tower, which is the town’s focus in the Square, was funded by the Prince of Wales.

The George Inn, where the valuation day will take place, is the oldest pub in Mere, dating back to c.1580. Charles II is known to have dined at The George after fleeing the Battle of Worcester in 1651, the final battle of the English Civil War. 

Nearby Stourhead is a world famous 18th-century country house designed by Scottish architect Colen Campbell and housing a significant art and antiques collection. The dramatic, sweeping landscaped gardens, based on classical pastoral scenes and including architectural landmarks such as Palladian Bridge and the Temple of Flora, are often mistakenly attributed to Capability Brown but were actually largely designed by Stourhead’s 18th century owner, Sir Henry Hoare II, with the help of his architect, Henry Flitcroft. The gardens have undergone large scale, significant planting programmes over the years and both the house and gardens are now managed by the National Trust.

“With this kind of rich history, you never know what items might be brought to our attention,” says Paul. “There are Wiltshire families who have a history in the area going back generations, so it’s entirely possible we’ll see people bringing along heirlooms that are related to the history of the place, too. What’s exciting about community valuation days is you never quite know what will turn up. It’s full of surprises!”

This event will be followed by others across Wiltshire, including: 
The REME Museum in Lyneham — Wednesday February 14, 10am to 3pm.
STEAM in Swindon — Monday February 19, 10am to 3pm.
The Athenaeum Centre in Warminster — Tuesday February 27, 10am to 3pm.

For more information on Paul’s community valuation days, please visit:  https://www.henryaldridge.com/valuations/valuation-days/south-west/