New owners of Verey bench can enjoy part of the Barnsley House legacy

A GARDEN bench made by the renowned furniture designer Charles Verey has sold at a Cotswolds auction for nearly £1,000.

The wooden bench was originally sold from a shop at one of the Cotswolds' most popular tourist attractions.

At its height, Barnsley House attracted 30,000 visitors a year. The gardens were designed by Rosemary Verey OBE, who also designed the gardens at Prince Charles' Highgrove home.

Born at Barnsley House, Charles Verey inherited his mother's passion for design, and her love of gardens. After training at the Fine Arts at Slade School where he studied painting, carpentry and joinery, he began designing and making garden furniture which visitors to Barnsley House could buy.

Bidding on the Arts & Crafts style Lutyens bench exceeded the £200 to £300 estimate when it was offered for sale by Cirencester auctioneer Moore Allen & Innocent on Friday, May 18. The hammer fell at £950.

It was very nearly the top price of the day – pipped to the post by a 19th century beech pier table with Sienna marble top which, despite some deterioration to the carved legs and frame, made £1,000.

A collection of eight miniature cabinet cups made the third highest lot price of the day, selling for £680. The collection included cups by Coalport and Royal Worcester.

At £620, a set of World War I medals made the fourth-highest lot price. The 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal were awarded to Major William Trent Chambers of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. They were sold along with a medallion commemorating the Sinking of the Lusitania, and a Saviours of the Liberty of the World medallion, which was awarded to American servicemen.

Elsewhere in the auction, a terracotta urn on plinth base by the 19th century ornamental terracotta manufacturer John Marriott Blashfield, featuring carved heads around the base of the urn and laurel wreath decoration to the base, sold for £460.

And two Republican Chinese porcelain vases, one decorated with figures seated at a table beneath a tree, with four character mark to the base, together with another decorated with birds on a branch above flowers, with six character mark to base, achieved £420.

The next Moore Allen & Innocent auction will be held on Friday, June 8. For more information about buying and selling antiques at auction, visit www.mooreallen.co.uk