End of an era starts the reclamation sale of the century

Posted on | By Thornton Kay
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Gloucestershire, UK - One of England's oldest and best-known reclamation yards, a landmark of the north Cotswolds, will be closing its doors for the last time at the end of October.

For over twenty-five years, Cox's Architectural has been the go-to venue for everything from a stately home fireplace to a hard-to-find little hinge or bracket. Pete Watson, the genial proprietor, started the business at Cox's Yard in Stratford-upon-Avon and then moving to an old dairy in Moreton in Marsh from where he sourced material from the UK and Europe which was then sold to clients - some of whom were from around the world.

Cox's Yard has been known for its array of doors of which there are over 200 in store, ranging from oak, pine and mahogany, Georgian to Victorian, 1600s Rajasthani to modern British, plain to intricately decorated, panel to flush, normal to vast.

But Cox's is not just about doors: Belfast sinks and fittings, large reclaimed oak beams, pine floor boards, door knobs, knockers, light fittings, taps, bath plugs, nails and door studs, radiators, curtain poles and fittings, latches, brackets, lamps, and everything between.

Pete says, "We regularly send bath plugs to Australia because they have old fashioned English baths from days of empire. The baths have lasted, but the super-sized bath plugs get lost or wear out. And we send doors everywhere - recently 200 were sent to Japan.

"One of our most spectacular finds were three magnificent nineteenth century carved stone urns in the garden of a house we were clearing. Measuring six feet high, eight feet in diameter and three and half tons apiece, moving them was a major operation. They now have a beautiful home (thankfully in the UK!) where they are highly valued by their owner."

Pete says, "We're sad to be closing Cox's Architectural, but the market has changed. Contemporary is in; reclaimed original materials are down but not quite out. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back in due course, but I'm too old to wait for the trend for period features to return! We're going out with a bang - every single last item must go from a rose head nail to a 24inch Dominion planer thicknesser, and the price reductions will be ridiculous. The last thing we want is to be left with stock or machinery. This is Christmas, Birthday and Easter for anyone who loves a reclamation bargain!"

"From the beginning of September through to when we close our doors at the end of October everything will be half price or quarter price or even less. Doors from £10. We're getting prepared now, finding things we haven't seen for years! Such as 375 brass and porcelain coat hooks. It will be a real treasure trove. We'd urge everyone to come and have a look. There are some wonderful items, some practical, some quirky, some unique, some eccentric - but all at an absurdly low price."

Is there anything that won't be for sale? Pete says, "We'll sell the container that's home to the office if someone wants it. I've never kept anything in all the years I've been sourcing reclamation. I'm reluctant to sell a pair of beautiful Victorian padlocks from north west India with the most intriguing locking device. They've been in my office for twenty years. I'm inclined to keep them, but you never know, I may just take an offer."


Cox's Yard was a Salvo Code dealer. Cox's Yard is now closed.

Cox's Yard Salvo Directory 09 Aug 2005


Story Type: Advertorial