Antiques Roadshow star values festival
CELEBRITY antiques expert Henry Sandon MBE gave his seal of approval to the Cotswold Festival at Stow-on-the-Wold.
The BBC1 Antiques Roadshow star was the guest speaker at a Celebration Lunch at St Edwards Hall, for the three-day, 17th Century-themed extravaganza focussing on Cotswold life, craft and history.
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VIP: Henry Sandon (right) with festival committee chairman Brian Honess
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TAKE YOUR PARTNERS: children from Stow primary school perform country dancing in the garden of Stow Lodge Hotel to the appreciation of onlookers (right)
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Kids from Stow primary school doing country dancing in the garden of Stow Lodge Hotel. People watching the dancing. Picture: Eloisa Wildsmith/ Glos Media/ 25-09-09
Set to do some on-the-spot valuations after lunch, he had already spotted a bargain in a town charity shop.
"I discovered a piece of unmarked Winchcombe pottery, but I didn't buy it as it was too cheap," he said. "The shop is now going to auction it to get more money.
"I'm a regular visitor to Stow and I love the wonderful spirit of the people here.
"They come here for antiques. I've known all the dealers since the 1950s – there are still some descendants. A town like this ought to have a festival – it's marvellous."
Pupils from Stow, Swell and Longborough primaries kicked off the event with country dancing and the Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir performed in St Edward's Hall in the evening.
Today and tomorrow The Square will be transformed from 10am with stalls and demonstrations of antique work in St Edward's Hall.
Street entertainers, Morris dancers, Stow Youth Singers and the Baptist Church Music Group will perform and Col J Pickering's Regiment of the Sealed Knot will mount a display.
Stow RBL hosts a produce show and North Cotswold Rotary Club has a Stow photographic show in the youth club.
Tonight Musicks Miscellanie is at St Edward's Church, followed by dancing in The Square, to Stiff Upper Lip.
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