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Comedian Alan Carr’s recently acquired Scottish Borders residence, Ayton Castle, is the focus of an upcoming auction featuring hundreds of items that neither Carr nor the previous owners wish to keep. Among the extensive collection for sale are over 90 lots from a distinctive “cement menagerie,” which consists of painted concrete sculptures portraying animals, historical characters, and countryside scenes. This collection was brought to the castle in 2021.
Earlier reports confirmed that Carr, known for winning Celebrity Traitors, purchased the castle for a figure exceeding £3.25 million. Now, prospective buyers have the opportunity to acquire various leftover possessions from the estate, described as “residual contents,” that did not make it into Carr’s new home and were also declined by the former inhabitants.
The auction is scheduled for Sunday, 5 July at Ayton Castle itself, with previews available the preceding Friday and Saturday. Attendance at both viewing and the auction requires tickets. Jim Railton of Railtons Auctioneers explained the situation: “Basically it’s the residual contents of Ayton Castle. Alan Carr, as we know, has bought the castle and he’s bought a certain amount of the furnishings. But the residual items that he doesn’t want – and that the last owners of the castle don’t want to take to their new house – we’re selling.”
One standout feature of the sale is the Northumberland folk art collection known as the Branxton Cement Menagerie. Created in the 1960s by a retired joiner to entertain his disabled son, it grew to more than 200 concrete pieces, becoming a beloved local attraction before being relocated to Ayton Castle. Railton described the collection as “naive art” that was popular with visitors who traveled from afar. Alongside these sculptures, over 400 items including paintings, furniture, and textiles will also be auctioned. The majority of the lots are expected to fetch modest sums, while a few items, such as a 2011 Bentley Mulsanne with around 40,000 miles, could command prices between £20,000 and £30,000. At the lower end of the scale, some contemporary LNER railway timeboards are estimated at just £10 to £15.
Railton noted significant interest both locally and internationally. “It’s going to be a big local Borders event with a marquee on the lawn and a lot of stuff being sold,” he said, adding that about 460 lots are included in the sale. The auction is being managed by Railtons Auctioneers, with full details provided on their official website
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