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Antique hunting in
the Cotswolds
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The Cotswolds has become almost synonymous with antiques,
offering the widest range available outside London and in a considerably more congenial environment.
Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Campden are particularly fruitful destinations for antique buyers
with a large number of specialist dealers within gentle strolling distance.
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 Our
favourite antique destination
is the Durham
House antiques centre in Sheep Street in Stow-on-the-Wold.
Converted from the stable block of one of Stow's old coaching inns, this
centre is now home to over 30 dealers in four showrooms covering
furniture, paintings, silver, glass and ceramics.
This centre seems to have some of the best prices you can find in the
Cotswolds and they are particularly adept at finding items to meet your
specifications if they don't have them in stock right away. |
| Another local favourite just a couple of miles from us in Turkdean is
Robson Antiques at New Barn Farm off the A40 at Farmington, where they have
a great range of garden ornaments and 'outdoor antiques'. |
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Other dealers worth a
visit in Stow include:
The Fox Cottage antiques centre in Digbeth Street does not have a website,
but their small premises are packed with some great bargains from 10
dealers, particularly in porcelain, glass, silver and ceramics.
In The Fosseway
Christopher Clarke carries a good stock of English oak and mahogany furniture with a particular
specialisation in campaign furniture. Also leather goods, animal figures
and what, for want of a better word, we might call 'incunabula'. A nice
mix.
Duncan Baggott
has two showrooms in Stow, although Woolcomber House in Sheep Street is
currently for sale, while the Baggott operation consolidates into their Church Street
premises as retirement beckons. Their website displays their
full range with admirable cataloguing details whilst their showrooms contain almost everything you would need
to furnish a beautiful manor house with impeccable taste.
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 Huntington Antiques
in Church Street also appear to be downsizing their showrooms, but Michael
Golding still displays extraordinary pieces of early furniture of exhibition and
museum grade. You may find a medieval pulpit, an Aubusson tapestry and a
16th century refectory table - all of impeccable quality and provenance. |
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In Cirencester we also like:
William H. Stokes in Dollar
Street displays a great selection of early oak furniture straight from the pages
of Country Life (literally).
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Tetbury
 Tetbury
has seen a real renaissance in recent years and we now visit the town
regularly both to visit Shipton Mill and pick up flour supplies and for
antiques browsing.
Jester Antiques in Church
Street have a good range of furniture, but are particularly rewarding if
you are in search of a clock with an excellent range of both mantle and
longcase clocks on show.
Further along Long Street the enormous and sensibly-named
Long Street Antiques Centre
contains about 40 dealers offering just
about every conceivable item you could wish to find.
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Chipping Norton
Station Mill Antique Centre is a bargain hunters paradise for "kitchenalia"
and less expensive collectables from over 70 different dealers.
The centre even has its very own tea room too.
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Chipping Campden
A trip to Chipping Campden is always
worthwhile and a visit to Paul Rayner at The Brew House on the High Street can produce
something from their eclectic
range of oak and country furniture and smaller household accessories.
Just a few steps further along the street there is also School
House Antiques in the Old Grammar School buildings, with a great
display
of fine art, silver, ceramics and clocks as well as an extensive selection
of furniture. |
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Further Afield
For a more comprehensive listing of some of the better local dealers check
out the Cotswold
Antique Dealers Association website.
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Yew Tree Cottage |
Turkdean | Northleach | CHELTENHAM |
Gloucestershire | GL54 3NT |
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