Alan Carr Auctions Unwanted Items from Scottish Castle Including Cement Menagerie

Alan Carr's Unwanted Castle Items to Be Auctioned

Hundreds of unwanted items from Ayton Castle in the Scottish Borders, recently purchased by comedian Alan Carr, are set to be sold at auction. Among the items are more than 90 lots from a "cement menagerie," a collection of painted sculptures depicting animals, historical figures, and rural scenes.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Alan Carr, winner of Celebrity Traitors, had acquired Ayton Castle, which was listed with offers over £3.25 million. Now, a selection of the castle's "residual" contents, which neither Carr nor the previous owners wish to keep, will be auctioned next month.

The auction is scheduled for Sunday, 5 July, at Ayton Castle, with viewing opportunities on the preceding Friday and Saturday. Attendance for both viewing and auction requires tickets.

Jim Railton, representing the auctioneers Railtons, provided insight into the sale:

"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."

Alan Carr recently accepted the Bafta Reality Award for The Celebrity Traitors alongside Claudia Winkleman.

The Cement Menagerie: A Unique Collection

One of the auction's highlights is the Northumberland folk art collection known as the Branxton Cement Menagerie. This includes painted concrete sculptures created in the 1960s by a retired joiner to entertain his disabled son. The collection expanded to over 200 pieces and became a popular visitor attraction.

The previous owners of Ayton Castle acquired the menagerie and relocated it to the castle grounds in 2021. However, these pieces are now being sold to the highest bidders.

Jim Railton elaborated on the collection:

"It's naive art. It was created by a retired joiner for his disabled son and it was a well-known visitor attraction in Branxton. People came from far and wide to visit it in Branxton and the whole lot was bought by the previous owners of Ayton Castle."

The cement menagerie was once a notable tourist attraction before its relocation to Ayton Castle in 2021.

Additional Auction Items and Details

The auction will feature over 400 items, including paintings, furniture, and textiles, in addition to the cement sculptures. Most items are expected to sell for a few hundred pounds each.

Among the higher-value items is a 2011 Bentley Mulsanne, a five-seater with just over 40,000 miles, estimated to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000. Conversely, two contemporary LNER railway time boards, featuring information on both sides, are estimated to attract bids between £10 and £15.

One of the more affordable items is a departure board.

Jim Railton noted that the auction has already attracted interest from both national and international buyers:

"It's going to be a big local Borders event with a marquee on the lawn and a lot of stuff being sold. We've got about 460 lots so far."

The sale is being conducted by Railtons auctioneers, with full details available on their website.

The auction will take place at Ayton Castle next month.

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