Christopher Timothy and Patrick Robinson Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

The nation's favourite celebrities...

-We are special then, are we?

-Oh, that's excellent!

..paired up with an expert.

We're a very good team, you and me.

And a classic car.

Their mission? To scour Britain for antiques.

-No idea what it is.

-Oh, I love it.

-GAVEL BANGS.

The aim? To make the biggest profit at auction.

-Yes!

-But it's no easy ride.

THEY GASP

There's no accounting for taste.

Who will find a hidden gem?

Who will take the biggest risks?

Will anybody follow expert advice?

-Do you like them?

-No.

There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

-Are you happy?

-Yes.

-Promise?

-Ecstatic.

Time to put your pedal to the metal.

This is Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

We're on a celebrity road trip with two of Britain's favourite actors.

Casualty consultant Patrick Robinson,

and All Creatures Great and Small's Christopher Timothy.

I'm seriously excited about this. I know it's pathetic, but I really am.

Christopher became the world's most famous vet

when he played James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small.

First broadcast in 1978, it became an instant hit,

regularly watched by 20 million people.

Rope's on.

And Christopher's been a familiar face on stage and screen ever since.

Patrick, as consultant Martin Ashford,

is one of Casualty's longest-serving cast members.

And he's even found himself taking Christopher's pulse!

What's wrong?

I suspect it is an acoustic neuroma,

which is a benign, non-cancerous tumour.

Oh, God.

-You had all the dodgy dialogue.

-Yes.

-All that medical stuff.

-All the jargon.

-Yeah.

-And it was when you'd just started doing Strictly.

-Right!

Patrick swapped scrubs for sequins in 2013,

and danced his way to the Strictly Come Dancing semifinals.

-Walking seemed to be a problem!

-LAUGHTER

Here's hoping dealers won't be as tough on his haggling technique.

Patrick and Christopher are driving a 1974 British Jensen Interceptor.

I want to put my foot down! ENGINE REVS

-Ooh!

-Yes!

-Steady!

-Ooh.

Our celebrities each have £400 to spend

in the battle to make a profit from antiques.

To help them along the way,

furniture and silver expert Margie Cooper,

and auctioneer James Braxton, are on hand.

Is there a theory, Margie, can you smell silver?

I can smell plate.

-You can small plate?

-Yes.

But I don't go around smelling silver, James!

Oh, yeah? They'll both be helping our celebrities sniff out bargains

in this left-hand drive 1969 Porsche 911T.

So, we're going to meet our celebrities.

-Um...

-Patrick and Timothy.

-Right.

No, Christopher!

-Christopher, and Patrick.

-Patrick.

-He's a man of two Christian names, isn't he?

-He is.

-Christopher Timothy, which is very confusing.

-Christopher Timothy.

Christopher Timothy.

Christopher Timothy.

Today's road trip begins close to the Welsh border in Ross-on-Wye,

before heading north east, and then over the River Severn, into Wales,

for an auction in Cardiff.

-Oh... Oh!

-Oh! Oh, handbrake on!

Whoopsy!

As the actors make their entrance, it's time to decide the teams.

-Good morning!

-Morning, morning.

My word.

-You're James, I know you are.

-Hello, Christopher, how are you?

-Hello.

-Hi, Margie, how are you?

-Hello, Patrick.

-Hello, Margie, nice to meet you.

Hello, James. Good to meet you.

-Can I choose? Only on the grounds of...

-I might be very hurt!

Only on the grounds of I want to learn to dance!

THEY LAUGH

Ah, Margie, OK!

-Great, Christopher.

-I'm very pleased. So am I, sir.

-I've never driven one of these, it's rather fun.

-Oh, right, OK.

-You're going to take the Porsche.

-Go on.

-All the very best, my friend.

-Yeah, fine, Margie.

-Good luck.

Bye. Not too much.

-See you, Christopher.

-Christopher, sir.

-Good luck, mate. See you later.

So, Christopher and James will purr around in the Porsche

while Patrick and Margie enjoy the Interceptor.

First stop for Team Christopher

is in the historic Hereford market town of Ross-on-Wye.

The town first attracted visitors in the 18th century, as people escaped

the industry of the cities to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Wye Valley.

In fact, it is said to be the birthplace of British tourism.

But these two are not here to take in the views. Oh, no.

They need to look for antiques to take to auction.

First stop, this 16th century building,

home to Elizabethan House Antiques.

Come on, Christopher. Yes, our first big test.

-Hello, there.

-How are you? You must be Fred.

-I am.

-I'm Chris.

-Hello, there.

-This is James.

-Hello.

Owner Fred has given pride of place in his shop to this rather

imposing contraption.

-Fred, what's this?

-It's a cheese press.

-It's French.

-It is extraordinary.

So, how would it work?

-The cheese goes underneath here.

-The blessed cheesemaker doeth.

You can see there's still a ring down there. You'd press it down.

The pressure drives the moisture out of the curds

which then unify into a single body, a block of cheese.

The blocks would be kept in the cupboard, at the top,

where their weight helps to press the next batch.

Both blessed and resourceful is the cheesemaker!

CHRISTOPHER LAUGHS

Amazing.

-How much is on the cheese press?

-It's £1295.

-Really, 1295?

Now, the art here is to see if we can do a deal...

-JAMES LAUGHS

-..for less than £400!

Now, that would be some discount.

But the press has given James a cheesy angle to work with.

-Have you got anything else associated with dairies?

-Erm.

-I'll have to think. Not furniture.

-Not furniture.

We'll leave that one with Fred,

allowing James to begin Christopher's education in antiques.

Does that have legs?

-How much has he got on that one?

-£48.

Everything in life is negotiable.

James Braxton's number one rule.

Well, I bow to your wisdom. But dark furniture is just not...

-Just not doing much.

-At the moment, so I understand.

See, I've done my homework.

Full marks for effort, that man.

Yep? Standard China.

So, it's factory line sort of...

-Dismissed in a phrase, really!

-Sorry.

-No, no.

I've got so much to learn, and so little time.

He's a keen student, too.

You've got a nasty crack there, haven't you?

I only watched your programme last week, the week before,

-when a crack was considered to be of no consequence.

-Really?

Ah, well, it's not an exact science, Christopher!

You asked me about dairy equipment. I've got a milk bowl here.

-A milk bowl?

-Oh, look. Read that.

Read it out.

"Patent, hygienic milk bowl.

"Advantages, won't slop over, pours easily, prevents...

"flies walking around the rim."

-So a fly can't walk on the edge?

-That's the implication.

How do they know that? You are wearing your glasses...

I think that is advertiser's puff, that.

-"Won't slop, pours easily, prevents flies walking

-into

-the milk."

-How do they do that?

-I suppose...

-Because the rim is like that.

They are slightly committed, aren't they?

-They just fall in.

-They fall in.

Also, one of the great things is you can hang it up.

-It hangs up when not in use.

-How much is it?

-It's 25.

-I've never seen one.

-Neither have I.

And I like it.

But remember James's number one rule, everything is negotiable.

What's the best you can do on that?

Got to be 20. 20, I'll do.

-20.

-I think we should just go for that.

-I like that.

-I agree.

-It worked!

A fiver skimmed off the ticket price of the milk bowl,

£20 is a great deal from Fred.

-Thank you so much.

-Right, well, blessed is the cheese maker.

-Bye.

-Bye. Thank you.

Off the boys go with the first purchase of the road trip.

These two are off to a flying start.

Meanwhile, Patrick and Margie are making their way through

the idyllic Cotswolds, to Winchcombe,

seven miles from Cheltenham.

Did you suddenly, as a little boy, think, "I want to be an actor?"

I suppose it did... It kind of did happen like that.

Was it a shock for your mum and dad?

Well, the sad thing about that, Margie,

-is that my mum passed away when I was 15.

-Ah!

-My dad brought me up.

In the end, my dad and I were estranged

when I was about 20, till about 23.

I was homeless for, like, a year when I was in drama school.

-There wasn't the encouragement from family.

-A great credit to you.

So I kind of kept going with me.

I've had to have the confidence to believe that to be an actor,

you have to believe that there is always a job for you.

Yes.

-Well, we have every confidence in

-you

-with the next job in hand,

buying antiques in Winchcombe.

The town's name derives from the Saxon for "valley with a band".

-Here we go, Margie. I'm excited, you know.

-Are you excited?

-Yes.

Winchcombe Antiques Centre has 18 dealers on two floors

in this delightful grade II listed building.

Hello!

Ever-helpful Richard is the owner.

-Good morning, Richard.

-Richard, yes.

-This is Patrick.

-Hi.

Nice to meet you, Patrick.

Have a good rummage around and see what you can find.

Sounds like a plan.

-We'll kick off. Thank you.

-Good luck.

-Right.

-What are you looking at, Patrick?

-I'm looking at the silver.

-The silver.

Ah, Patrick's already found the way to Margie's heart.

-That is lovely.

-That's a pretty thing.

-That's for measuring out your spirits.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-You get that into your sight, right. Wait till it gets clear...

-Yeah.

You can see dagger and wheat sheaves, that's Chester,

which is always highly rated.

Hallmarked with a ticket of £95.

-So what's the absolute very best?

-75?

Oh.

-Right, it's a thought. Is it a thought?

-I think so.

Right, it's a thought.

But is it a thought that counts? With one possibility already,

these two are shaping up to be a right double act.

SHE LAUGHS

Stan Laurel, baby. Stan Laurel, baby.

Oliver and Hardy.

Why don't you do something to help me?

OK! Ah...

-What are they up to now?

-Yeah.

It's time Patrick got down to business.

-Oh...

-More stuff.

-What about those two...

-Yeah.

-..old boys?

-Yeah. Old tea urns.

-They are copper, aren't they?

-Copper and brass.

And they've had quite a hard life. Those are old...

-It's popped off a couple of times, maybe.

-Welded off, yeah.

It shows what a hard life they've had.

Somebody's been carrying these back and forth.

The tap's been off on that.

-Pfft! Do you like them?

-I do, actually.

-Richard.

-Yes.

For some unknown reason, Patrick likes those.

-Each to their own!

-They've got to be cheap.

Go on, £20. £10 each. That's the deal of the day.

It's worth more than that in scrap, I would have thought.

-Well, then, I would say that might get more than that...

-Yeah, yeah.

..at auction.

Two tea urns that could be used for putting plants in and things.

Two urns for £20? He's good once he gets going.

I think we might be developing a theme here.

I kind of like this and I thought, I wonder if it's pewter. And it is.

You see, I hate pewter but I like the design of that.

But I was going to say, I like the design.

I was going to put a ticket on that of £70.

-Oh, that's killed it.

-What are you thinking?

-For us to gamble...

You are throwing me out of the place. I mean, I'm looking at 35 quid.

-That's exactly what I was going to say. £35.

-I hate it, Richard.

That is close to being thrown out, isn't it?

-35 and 20.

-Yeah.

-55.

-Go on, then.

-Yeah?

-Shake his hand.

Patrick's just done his first deal of the road trip, two lots for £55.

-Oh, gosh. I'm worried about that, Richard.

-I'm not, actually.

Margie, too late for second thoughts.

Why not cheer yourself up with some silver?

-What about that little single and double measure?

-Oh, yeah.

Richard has already knocked £20 off the ticket price of £95.

Margie will be very lucky if she can get a further discount.

-What is the... What's your best on that?

-The very best.

Richard, my dear friend.

40 is the absolute death, I think.

At £40, that's better than half price!

-OK.

-There's a bit of weight to that as well, isn't there? OK.

-That can't fail.

-Are we all agreed at 40?

So we've bought the pewter...

-Yeah.

-We've bought those cheap copper things and we've bought that.

All right, 40. No problem at all.

40 pence! That's brilliant, look at that!

Sorry, sorry... £40 sterling.

Patrick leaves his first shop with a four-piece pewter tea set,

two copper tea urns and one solid silver spirit measure,

all for £95. Wow!

Meanwhile, apprentice antique buyer Christopher

and his expert, James, are back on the road.

I can't help but feel, James,

that I was a bit non-contributory in that last section.

Oh, no, no. Rubbish.

To be frank, we both passed the lot we actually bought.

-I didn't even see it.

-No, nor did I.

Well, let's hope nothing's missed at your next shop.

Located on the outskirts of Ross-on-Wye is Blank Canvas Antiques.

Dealer Andy normally sells to the trade.

Here's a perfect opportunity for the lads to sniff out

some market fresh stock with their remaining £380.

How much for your butcher's block, Andy?

That is...450.

-We can't afford that, can we?

-How about Mr Tiger, erm, lion here?

That's £850.

-And what about your lantern here?

-Chinese lantern, 650.

Mm. They might struggle in here.

-What about your cushions?

-£1,500.

Antique and unique they may be but at that price,

they're not an option for our treasure hunters.

-I've got great taste, haven't I?

-Bang on, Christopher.

-I reckon you've got the pocket for it.

-He hasn't.

-They've only got £380.

-This is going to be a tricky one.

That is a beauty, isn't it?

There's plenty for James to admire

but Christopher has been drawn to a bedside cabinet.

But this is not... Andy!

-This isn't one of a pair, is it?

-No.

I do get pairs in occasionally but they are quite hard to find.

They are so well made.

Ah, Braxton's found the biscuit jar.

Do me a favour, would you pass me that bedside lamp?

Stick it on top, see if it works.

-I'm liking your style.

-With a shade.

-Yeah, give it a bit of height,

give it proportion.

Just a bit. And some felt on the bottom.

You realise now, you are breathing sweets all over your glasses.

-And why not? Ginger nuts...

-Oh, no. Perfect.

Ginger nuts, the king of biscuits, as far as I'm concerned.

Christopher's doing all the work here.

Finding the oak Victorian bedside cabinet, priced at £150,

and the bronze candlestick converted to an electric lamp stand at £75.

Could we do a deal here, Andy, for the two?

210, to have a deal with you.

I don't want you to go away empty-handed, really.

-100 for that and 60 quid for that.

-No. I can do 200.

What are the chances of a profit on this, on these?

They're both items are of lovely quality. That's indisputable.

But are the grand old houses of Cardiff stuffed full

of all this stuff? Oh, I don't know.

HE GROANS

Andy, if we bought the bronze on its tod, what would that be?

£60.

That's kind. I think we'll do that.

Yeah, thanks a lot, mate.

God. Talk about the tortures of purchasing.

Should be a delight. We should be breezing in here.

I've put on ten years. Ten years!

Well, Christopher's definitely picked up the slack

and leaves with the 19th century bronze figure lamp base for £60.

Meanwhile, Patrick and Margie are taking some time out

from shopping and have made their way across Warwickshire

to visit a family home with a remarkable history.

-Hey, Coughton Court, here we come.

-Wow.

How do we get in?

BELL RINGS

Am I wrong?

We thought the whole door was going to open.

Hello, sir.

-Hello. Welcome to Coughton Court.

-Thanks.

Coughton Court is the ancestral home of the Throckmorton family.

20 generations have lived here since 1409.

Today, it's a house full of treasures

that have connections with dark and dangerous times

which even link Coughton to a potentially seismic event

that would have changed British history for ever -

the Gunpowder Plot.

And guide Vic knows all about the building and the family.

What's significant about the Throckmorton family?

The Throckmorton family are Roman Catholics

and have been all the way through the ages.

And from the time of Henry VIII really into almost the time of

Queen Victoria, Catholics were persecuted in one way or the other.

But the Throckmortons have, as I say,

remained Roman Catholic right through that period.

Yes. And there's a history to the place.

-There's a lot of history to the place.

-OK.

In the 16th century, Catholicism was outlawed.

Catholic families had a stark choice -

loyalty to their church or Protestant monarch.

To continue as Catholics, the Throckmortons at Coughton

had to do so in secret.

This is what we call the Tower Room.

This would be the ideal place for a chapel

because if the house was searched

this would be the last room that the people searching would reach

because they've got a spiral staircase all the way up here.

Records show Coughton was repeatedly raided by the authorities

looking for priests or evidence of practising Catholics.

And the 600 year old house continues to reveal many secrets.

Tell us about this incredible thing?

This is a painting on canvas which was discovered in the roof space

about 1900, I believe.

It's dated 1596. At the top there you can just see it.

Across the bottom it shows all the coats of arms of

Catholic families who were imprisoned during Elizabethan times.

It is a kind of Catholic propaganda document, if you like.

This would have been a secret document in its day.

You would be in trouble if it was discovered in your possession.

And is it the only one in existence?

It is unique. There's nothing else like it.

There's no doubt the Throckmortons

and Coughton Court played a crucial part in enabling Catholicism

to remain alive throughout the Reformation.

However, they were almost undone when they became caught up

in a treacherous plot by Catholic militants to kill the king.

I have heard, and tell me if I'm wrong, that the Gunpowder Plot

and Guy Fawkes, the conspirators had some kind of link here.

Yes. The ringleader of the Gunpowder Plot was not Guy Fawkes,

which most people seem to think, but a man called Robert Catesby.

Robert Catesby was the nephew of Thomas Throckmorton

-of Coughton Court.

-Ah.

-And it wasn't just Catesby.

Of the 13 plotters,

four of the conspirators were related to the Throckmortons.

At the time of the plot in November 1605, the Throckmortons

weren't staying here, they were at another of their properties.

And they actually let his house to one of the plotters.

The story often told is of a plan to blow up Parliament,

killing Protestant King James I. An anonymous tip-off led to

Guy Fawkes being caught red-handed with 36 barrels of gunpowder.

Now, what is not widely known is that in the early hours of

the 6th of November the conspirators' family

and associates gathered at Coughton to receive the news

that their friends and loved ones were on the run.

Eventually all the plotters were caught and executed.

And the worst form of execution which was...

Hung, drawn and quartered.

Records suggest it was at Coughton Court that arms, horses

and ammunitions had been stored ready for the uprising

that was meant to follow the annihilation of Parliament.

Didn't that drop them in it, though?

Well, the Throckmorton family managed to get away with it.

If they were involved they said they knew nothing about it.

They were interrogated and they got away with it.

For 400 years bonfires have burned on November the 5th

to remember the failed coup.

And the Throckmorton family still remain at Coughton Court

to this very day.

Vic, thank you for showing us

and talking to us about this incredible place. Fantastic.

Thank you very much. I've enjoyed showing you.

Back in Ross-on-Wye, Christopher

and James are scouring the high street for more bargains.

-It's still lovely weather, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Here we are.

-After you.

-Thank you.

Husband and wife Ian

and Sally have only been in their new shop for a few weeks.

There's plenty of new stock for the chaps' remaining £320.

-Hello. James.

-How you doing?

-Good to meet you.

-I'm Chris.

-Nice to meet you.

There is plenty of furniture

and collectibles at one end of the shop and under the counter.

What is that interesting thing at the end there?

Card case.

I think the cards were brought up that way, sliding the cards out.

What a clever system. I like mechanical things.

So that would just irritate them up.

You could put a stack of your visiting cards.

-Would that be right?

-I believe so.

-I like that a lot.

Ian's asking £45 for the clever novelty card case

which dates from the early 20th century.

It's silver and sports the London hallmark.

There's something early '50s about it, I can't put my finger on it.

When I was discovering Americans and cigarettes and girls

and movies and stuff.

-How much on him?

-It can be 35.

There's plenty of other goodies under Ian's counter.

-Hey!

-What?

Daffs.

-Isn't that the Welsh thing?

-Yes, it is. Absolutely.

Blimey.

-It is the national...

-I love the daffodil.

-It is the national thing, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Daffs and leeks.

I'm no gardener, but that looks more like a narcissus.

James is hoping Welsh buyers in Cardiff will like something

he thinks is a daffodil.

This compact is engraved "love to Peggy"

and comes with the original outer cover at a ticket price of £85.

-We've got to buy that, haven't we?

-I think we do, yeah.

But you must buy your thing as well.

It's got to be done.

I think so too.

-Are we as one on this?

-We are.

-Excellent.

-OK?

-Yeah, fantastic.

Thank you very much. Very kind. Thank you very much.

Ian's agreed to knock £10 off each item.

That's the calling card case at £35 and the enamel compact for £75.

It's been a busy day and there's another to come,

so for now, teams, nighty-night.

Morning has broken

and our actors are back in the Interceptor comparing notes.

Are you pleased with what you've got so far?

-I am.

-Are you confident?

I don't think we'll get that much money

with the things we've got.

I really don't.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to today.

I can't tell you how exciting it is

when an expert agrees with something you say.

Christopher is a real enthusiast.

I think he's a fan of the show.

-Aw.

-He loves it.

It's just really easy.

-Don't you like enthusiastic people?

-I do.

Yesterday, the former James Herriot hunted for

all bargains great and small.

Christopher and James spent £190 picking up a milk bowl,

a bronze lamp base, card case, an enamel compact.

Leaving them with £210 to spend today.

I've got great taste, haven't I?

And Patrick modestly liked everything Margie loathed.

I kind of liked this and I wondered if it's pewter.

I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.

In the end they spent £95 on two copper tea urns,

a solid silver spirit measure and a pewter tea set.

Leaving them with £305 still to spend.

-Morning.

-Morning.

-Morning, team.

-Good morning.

-Morning.

Another beautiful day?

Aren't we lucky?

Don't you think it's exciting?

Very exciting.

Right, you're driving, mate.

-I've had enough of it this morning.

-OK.

Well, Margie, would you like to step this way, darling?

-Have a good day.

-Have a good day.

-See you later, my love.

Both teams are making their way to Gloucester.

Docks here on the River Severn

have been an important thoroughfare for trade for nearly 2,000 years.

The first stop of the day is Upstairs, Downstairs,

home to over 20 dealers packed in over three floors.

Offering rich pickings to both teams,

but Patrick and Margie have arrived first.

Ah, I think they're going to be arriving,

-so we need to whizz round before they get here.

-OK.

-Cos they're going to be hovering.

-Right, I'm scanning.

-Yeah.

Meanwhile, Chris and James are taking in the sights.

-It is clever, isn't it?

-Very clever.

# I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

# Wasting time... #

But it's such a shame,

I would have loved to have seen the Pool of London working here.

-Yeah, and this working.

-Yeah.

Instead bits and pieces become coffee houses and restaurants.

But nice though.

All this dilly-dallying around on the docks has meant that

the other team have first dibs.

I've done quite well in the past with these little Victorian

brooches and things. That's quite reasonable.

If we got two or three of those.

-This one here?

-Yeah.

That one with the bird on it there.

What's that little brooch thing?

-That's quite nice.

-Yeah.

They're lockets.

They're here already.

Best get in, chaps, you've got £210 left to spend.

Think Welsh.

That's not Welsh, is it? Could be over Wales.

-This way?

-Yeah.

Patrick and Margie have enlisted the help of Robert

who's minding another dealer's cabinet.

-Thank you.

-Just dive in.

What have we got here?

What's the price on that?

She's got 14 on that.

Yeah, I know why she's just got 14

cos under my eyeglass I've seen something. Yeah.

That's cheap as chips.

It is, but we've got a slight problem.

This is why you need one of these.

-Damn, I can't see anything.

-The enamel is chipped.

You don't notice it until you have one of these eyeglass things.

Even so, £14 is still a great price a late 19th century silver brooch.

Isn't that interesting?

Look up occasionally, look at the plane. Isn't that fun?

-Yes, it is.

-Do you like that?

-I do. I like it a lot.

James has spotted a model second world war biplane.

-Do you think it will be expensive?

-I don't know.

The chaps need to snag a dealer of their own.

Can we also have a look at this one here.

Patrick's seen that.

Oh, yeah.

That's quite pretty, this locket.

I like that. And that...

-A little bit of history in it.

-Yes.

Lovely.

With regard on the top, which is lovely.

It's obviously meant for... to look when someone's away

and have a photo in the centre of each.

-I like very much.

-Yeah.

Meanwhile, their rivals have roped in Vic to help them out upstairs.

We looked at this fellow.

The biplane is a Gloster Gladiator.

It's a Gloster Gladiator.

The Gladiator was the last British biplane fighter

and was one of Britain's most successful pre-war exports.

It was manufactured with pride just six miles from where we are now.

This scale model is rather spiffing, don't you think?

I think was probably made by an enthusiast.

-Probably made in the '50s, '60s.

-What's it made of?

I think it's made just the same as they would make a biplane,

so I think it's wood and bound in some type of canvas.

-And then treated with whatever.

-And treated exactly the same way.

All the rudders and everything else work.

It is for sale if you've got £1,200 in your pocket today,

-you can take it home.

-Here we go.

-It's a generous offer.

-Absolutely.

-What a shame.

-It's fun, isn't it?

-Yes.

Have you noticed how much we've spoken about things

-that we don't buy?

-I know, we have.

-Less chat, more shop.

I've just noticed a very rare item in that cabinet.

-Go on, dig it out.

-It's not made of silver or gold.

-Go on.

-It's that.

-Right, yeah!

That's actually a last rites cross, that is.

If you notice on the bottom it's got a skull and crossbones on it.

Oh, gosh.

Quite often that was pressed into the soldier,

they'd put that into this hand.

Basically just read him the last rites just before he went.

-Well, I didn't know that.

-I didn't know that.

That's very rare.

The skull and crossbones could also symbolise the location of

the crucifixion, a place known to some as The Place of the Skull.

Rob's convinced this crucifix was used in the First World War.

Gosh, you wouldn't want to part with that, would you?

How many hands have held that?

Yeah, but the history of it.

Great object, but Margie only has eyes for the silver.

The locket has a ticket price of £59

and the dealer is asking for £14 for the brooch.

I'd like the very best on those two.

She wouldn't take 45 for those two, would she?

I'll give her a try.

While Rob acts as go-between for Team Patrick,

Vic has wooed James and Christopher to a secret corner of the shop

and a bamboo table that's just come in.

I just think it's just so resourceful.

Cos bamboo's one of those magical items that you can bend,

you can steam it, you can joint it.

Amazing. Incredibly strong.

Has it got a nice tile top or is it lacquered?

It's got a lacquered top.

And...

That bit.

That's what it is, so we have to put that piece back in.

But as it is, 25 quid.

The table dates from around 1900.

It's damaged and has a rather tired appearance.

It will be a gamble purchase even at £25.

It's quite a pretty top. It's been bashed and everything.

And we've got little birds here, rather exotic.

-So pretty, isn't it?

-So pretty, isn't it?

Oriental, lacquer... I quite like that.

I've got to say, what I'm thinking of,

I'm trying to think in terms of our aim.

Would you do anything to it between now and the sale?

I wouldn't. I would sell it like that.

-Somebody buying it could retrieve it.

-I agree with you.

Knowing as little as I do, I agree with you.

Your enthusiasm convinces me.

-I think we should buy it.

-Lovely. Shake the man's hand.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

Deal done. A broken bamboo table for £25.

Let's hope buyers at auction are as enthusiastic about it as James

and Christopher.

On the other side of the shop, Robert has news.

The very best she can do is 51.

I've never bought at 51 before.

-So 45 is a complete no?

-Yeah.

-What do you think?

-I think...

-Well, it's what you think. But I think it's worth it.

-Do you?

-Done and dusted.

-Very funny price, that.

That's another lot purchased.

Two pieces of jewellery - £22 off the ticket price.

Right, we've got four items. One more shop.

-But what about that cross?

-That cross was lovely.

I think it's a really interesting story behind it.

-You really want it?

-I would love it.

-Shall we go back in?

-Let's go back in.

Be quick. There's competition behind every cabinet.

Look behind you.

These are very nice, aren't they? Very nice indeed.

And those are very good, yeah.

Wait a minute. I've seen you on the telly, haven't I?

-How you doing?

-Going good, how are you?

You're looking a bit pleased with yourself.

-You're confident, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-It's best not to fraternise with them. Come with me.

-OK, sorry.

They look confident. But they're still buying.

They do. But we...

-But we have every right to be confident.

-We have. We're done.

We're done, so let's leave.

Shopping's done. The chaps are off to explore Gloucester

while Patrick still has unfinished business.

Where's that cross, beautiful cross?

-Yeah.

-Hello. Back again?

-Yeah, we're back.

We've been out, come back in again and we just think

we might quite like that, particularly Patrick.

35, so...

Can we broker a deal?

We can do it for 25. Those are quite rare.

I'm not going to argue.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Deal done.

-Oh, lovely. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Patrick now has jewellery, tea urns, some pewter ware and a crucifix.

A good selection for auction.

Back in the car James is hearing how Christopher convinced a producer

to give him the role of James Herriot.

He said,

"The hierarchy are nagging me to cast an established name.

"So would you like to play Tristan?"

I was a father of five, I was broke and I found myself saying,

I can't believe I said it,

"No, it's James Herriot or nothing."

Anyway, the months passed

and through all sorts of machinations I finally got the part.

It was the most joyous time and the most joyous job to do.

Christopher and James had made their way across the city

and to one of its best known landmarks -

Gloucester Cathedral.

The site of the cathedral has been a place of worship

for well over 1,300 years

and played significant parts in English history.

But James and Christopher are here to learn about a little-known

intriguing story with a transatlantic twist.

Former member of the cathedral choir

Jonathan MacKechnie-Jarvis knows all about it.

If you've got time, would you like to come up to the tower?

I'd be very happy to take you.

-I'm fit and able.

-I'm able.

-Excellent.

-Let's make a move.

High up the cathedral's tower is some impressive 18th century

musical machinery.

Mind the step as you come in.

The fact is,

if you go behind the scenes in almost any of our cathedrals

sooner of later you will find some derelict bit of equipment

which has got its own story to tell.

What you're looking at here is a chime machine, 1762.

Chime machines, also known as a carillon, were synchronised with

the clock and the cathedral's bells to play tunes

at intervals throughout the day and night.

This is really like a musical box where

instead of pins, we've got these cans which would have lifted

the lever like that

and there would have been a tensioned wire running to the bell.

BELL RINGS

Wow.

This chime machine first played in 1762 when a young cathedral

choir boy named John Stafford Smith would have sung in these stalls.

He went on to devote his life to music

and gained the reputation of being a gifted organist and composer.

His musical talents gained him entry into an exclusive gentlemen's social

club where in 1780 he penned a composition that has since

become one of the most recognisable pieces of music in the world today.

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At first Stafford Smith's rising tune

was adopted as an anthem by his social club.

But the song caught on

and became popular on both sides of the Atlantic.

Here's a memorial to him

which picks up on what is best known, and this may just ring a bell,

if you'll pardon the pun, because he wrote the tune which later

became the Star-Spangled Banner.

So, how did the...

theme tune, if you like, for the gentleman's club,

how did that, and why did it become the American national anthem?

It seems it became a popular drinking song on both

sides of the Atlantic so it was quite a well-known tune...

-Already?

-..already.

In its first conflict since the War Of Independence,

America found itself in a bloody battle with the British.

In 1814, the British Navy attacked the Port of Baltimore

on America's East Coast.

Despite an aggressive bombardment by the British,

the Americans held their ground.

Suffering heavy losses, the British withdrew.

The sight of the American flag flying at dawn inspired American poet

Francis Scott Key to write a song to celebrate the victory.

He put his lyrics to Stafford Smith's tune.

So actually a popular song became the national anthem.

You can't really imagine

God Save The Queen being a popular song, can you?

-No, you can't. It hasn't quite got the same...

-No.

-..the same snap to it.

-No, it hasn't.

It wasn't until a congressional resolution in 1931

that The Star-Spangled Banner officially became the national

anthem of the United States of America.

So, one way or another, we have a little American corner and there's

that link back to our chime machine and the tunes that it plays.

-Fabulous. Well, thank you.

-Yeah, thank you so much.

Thank you for coming. Good to see you, James.

-You must come again.

-Thank you.

-Yes, fantastic building.

Meanwhile, Patrick and Margie are still searching high and low

for treasure to take to auction.

-How tall are you?

-5' 11".

-You look bigger.

-Thank you very kindly, ma'am.

-Cos I'm about 5' 9".

-I know. You're a tall lass.

-Yeah.

Their next stop is a stone's throw from the Cathedral

and a shop with 40 dealers - Fab And Faded.

That's not the dealers, it's the name of the shop.

-Well, this looks all right.

-It looks very, very nice.

It does look very nice.

And Dudley's the man in charge. Hello, Dud.

-Margie.

-Hello.

-Dudley, hi.

-Patrick.

-All right, Patrick. Nice to see you.

-Very nice. Can we have a look round?

-Help yourself.

-If you need any help just give me a shout.

-Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Patrick and Margie have £229 left to spend

and there are two floors of cabinets to rummage through.

Wow. You're loving this, aren't you?

I actually am.

Because I'm not really keen on shopping

-but looking for various things that could...

-Collectables.

..produce quite a decent amount of cash...is quite interesting.

-Yeah.

-You know. Oh.

-What have we found?

-Model cars in the boxes.

-Model cars in the boxes.

-Yes,

not the big ones but the little, old ones.

-Look at that.

-They're not old. £2.50 each.

No, they're not £2.50 each.

-HE GASPS

-They are £2.50 each.

Cos they're not very old.

At least he's trying.

But ever-observant Margie has an item in her sights.

At the bottom of the stairs,

on the right-hand side,

there's a whacking pair of old Victorian industrial bellows.

What do you mean a whacking pair? How big?

-Big, like nearly as big as you.

-Stop it!

At 5' 11", that's big.

-Yes, let's see this big bellows.

-Amazing.

-Are they as big as you?

-Yes.

-You're right. It's as big as me.

-What would one do with them?

-Oh, my gosh.

-I wonder what they were used for.

-Wow.

I wonder if it's something to do with the pottery business.

The big bellows have a rather large ticket price of £250,

some £20 more than what these two have left in the kitty.

-It's a funny old thing, isn't it?

-I like it.

But I think the stencilling is probably later.

I like it cos it is a funny old thing.

Just thinking about it actually working.

-Yeah.

-Even though it may be very crispy leather.

God forbid it didn't sell.

I know.

Can you get it in your car?

THEY LAUGH

-It happens.

-No, I'm sure.

-OK, well, I will be advised by you.

-Be a man and make the decision.

Easy, killer!

It will be up to you. It depends what we can get it for.

Do you like it?

And that depends on Dudley.

Right, are we having it or are we not having it?

-What were you thinking?

-I was thinking of 100 quid.

-Go on, then.

That was easy.

Are we buying it?

SHE LAUGHS

-I must be mad.

-Thank you, Dudley.

-Cheers.

I mean, that is so un-me I can't tell you.

Margie! Yes!

He's very excitable. These actors, you know.

Steady on.

Bagging those bellows certainly has Patrick all fired up.

-You can pay for it and carry it out now.

-OK.

-Cos you look a big lad.

Margie seems to rather enjoy having a man of muscle in tow.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Thank you for my bellows. My giant bellows.

Patrick and Margie have sealed their sixth deal of the road trip,

reduced from 250 to £100.

Shopping complete, it's time for the teams to compare treasures.

-What a fabulous trip.

-Yeah.

-What a majestic setting.

-Anyway.

-Absolutely.

-One, two, three.

ALL: Ooh!

-My favourite.

-My favourite...

-That's my favourite.

Daffs for Taffs.

-Does this make you feel uneasy?

-Daffs for Taffs.

-That is lovely.

-Oh, I'd like that. That's really nice. Bronze?

-Bronze.

-Bronze.

Feel the weight, if you wish.

-Never mind the quality, feel the weight.

-Oh, here.

-Feel the weight.

-Any chipping on your enamel, sir?

-None.

Very pleased to say none. Any chipping! How rude.

-It sounds like a village in Cornwall.

-How rude. Come on!

-Very nice.

-Show us yours.

Reveal, Margie.

Oh! Look at this! Blimey. Job lots as well.

-Is that pewter?

-Yeah, it is. I think pewter might be making its way back.

-Do you?

-Were going to ratchet that business now.

It's big in Cardiff, I hear. Pewter, big in Cardiff. I like your urns.

-PATRICK:

-I love those. I couldn't resist.

-They've had a hard life.

-Yeah.

-And how much were they?

-Oh...

20 quid.

-They weren't 20 quid.

-20.

-Each?

-No.

-No.

-Tenner each.

-That's a very good buy.

The biggie's still to come, though.

-I think here should be all right.

-Yeah.

-Can we open our eyes?

-Yeah, you can.

-Yes.

-You can.

Blimey!

Ta-da!

-That is... That is a pair of bellows.

-Most religiously, sir.

-CHRISTOPHER:

-Would look quite cool over a big...

in a large room over an inglenook fireplace.

- Someone's going to want it. - Yes, they are.

-And how much did you pay for that?

-100.

-100? 100?

-Yeah.

-That's good. It's lovely. Blimey.

-Well done, you two.

-Well done, all.

-Let's wait and see what happens.

-CHRISTOPHER:

-I'm really impressed.

-Seriously impressed.

-Come on.

-Yeah.

Good haul, people. Good haul.

All very polite but what do they really think?

-Ours stuff's pretty good, don't you think?

-I think... I reckon...

-I think...

-Our stuff's really good.

Apart from big Bertha the bellows...

-Oh, come on, man, that's a great laugh.

-If that goes wrong...

-I think the bellows are brilliant.

-They are good, aren't they?

-And the milk bowl, well...

-I thought it was...

-Yeah.

-Well, I didn't think it was what it was.

-No, I just...

-I thought it was a potty.

-No, it's a milk pan.

-The fight is on, isn't it?

-The fight is on.

-It is on.

-It is going to be a fight, don't you think?

-Yeah, and it's coming to us very soon.

-Yes.

As soon as you get to the auction.

The teams have taken in a 220-mile road trip

starting in the Wye Valley,

skirting around the Malvern Hills

before crossing the River Severn

heading into Glamorganshire

and to Cardiff,

largest city in Wales.

It was crowned the capital in 1955.

I've been lucky because Christopher is a real enthusiast.

I've seriously enjoyed the two days buying

but I'm doubly excited about this. Really, really excited.

I think Patrick, the same.

Yeah, he's enjoying it and we've had a lot of fun.

PATRICK: I quite liked... The buying was fab.

But how auction-experienced are you in relation to Cardiff? At all?

I have never been to an auction.

Well, you're in for a treat today.

Our teams' treasures are going under the hammer at Rogers Jones

and the man with the gavel is Ben Rogers Jones.

So, what does he think of our celebrities' haul?

Well, the bellows, we call items like that antique slugs.

We call them antique slugs because every time they move,

they leave a trail of mess on the floor.

The bamboo table, if that is shabby chic

it's got a severe leaning towards shabby, I'm afraid.

We might struggle with that one as well. The measure's quite nice.

Quite a nice novelty piece of silver. Quite a reliable market.

The mechanical silver card case, that's quite nice.

Again, collectable silver in small form is doing well

and I would expect that to make between £40 and £60.

A nice item.

Christopher and James set off with £400 and spent £215 on five lots.

I've put on ten years. Ten years.

Patrick and Margie spent £271 but have a total of six lots.

Margie!

Well, it's time for our teams to take their seats.

There's plenty of interest in the sale room and online, too.

You may turn over your exam sheet now.

Patrick and Margie's solid silver spirit measure is up first.

So, I'm straight in at £60.

At £60. Is there 5? At £60...

That's profit.

70. At 70.

At 75, 80. £80. Is there 5?

80 is on the book. Any advance?

Last call, then, at £80.

Hammer's up.

Hey, a £40 profit.

They doubled their money.

That's Patrick and Margie off to a great start.

Well done. Well done.

Next up, another piece of silver -

the first lot from Chris and James.

I'm straight in at £32. Is there 5?

35, 38.

40, 42.

£42 on the book.

-Dignity. Dignity at all times.

-Come on.

50, even better. At £50.

55. 55. New bidder now.

55. 55. One more.

60. 60. £60. Is there 5?

All done at £60.

Going to wrap it up, then.

A £25 profit.

Now, now, dignity at all times.

Yes!

Patrick and Margie's locket and brooch are up next.

Some haggling lowered the purchase price to £51.

£40. 40.

Start me at 30.

Oh, dear.

£30. At 30. £30, is...

35. 35 online.

Is there 40? 40, sir. 40.

Put it down. Put it down.

40... 5, just in time.

-45, 50.

-Oh, no.

-At 50.

-Put it down.

-Everybody done.

-I'd put it down.

-Oh.

-£50.

They almost broke even. Just £1 shy of the purchase price.

At least the first loss of the day is a small one.

-That's a disappointment.

-That went too high, anyway.

Next, Chris and James's milk bowl.

I'm straight in above estimate.

It's £12. At 12.

Is there 15?

At 12. 15. 18 with me.

£18. At £18 on the book.

-Dignity.

-Keep going.

-Dignity.

-AUCTIONEER:

-£18 with me.

Is everybody done?

At £18 and the hammer's up. £18.

A loss of two pounds.

Both teams have had profitable and losing lots.

But Margie and Patrick are in the lead.

Say nothing. Say nothing. Just let them comment.

The pewter tea set is up next.

It caught Patrick's eye.

Margie needed some convincing, even at £35.

£40. 40.

Bid me 40.

30.

-20.

-£30.

20 if you like. £20. Is there 5?

At 20. £20. Is there 5?

Twos if you like.

-You've got 20.

-At 20. All done now at £20. £20.

Oh, sold for £20. That's a loss of £15.

Perhaps Patrick should have listened to Margie after all.

Too late now.

Next up is the silver compact.

James loved the daffodil design.

Welsh-born Christopher thought it would do well in Wales.

I'm still uncertain about those daffs. It's a gamble at £75.

Will it pay off?

Start me at 50.

50. Thank you. Is there 5?

55. 60.

65. 70.

£70. Is there 5?

75.

80, 85, 90.

(Keep going.)

95, 100.

Oh, hello!

110, 120.

(Oh, lovely.)

£120.

At £120, is everybody done?

£120.

Yes!

The gavel's down at £120.

That's a super £45 profit.

How DAFF's that?

-That'll do us. Daffodils.

-Very pleased for you.

Smug One and Smug Two.

I'm loving that.

Patrick and Margie on catch-up now.

Hopefully there are some collectors keen on in the next item -

the last rites crucifix.

I've got 20 to start. Is there 5?

£20, come on.

5. 30 with me.

Is there 5? 5. 40.

5. 50. 5. 60.

Oh, hey.

-5. 70.

-Oh, my goodness.

75. Is there 80?

At £75. 80 anywhere?

£75. Is there 80?

-At £75.

-That guy was right.

-All done.

£75.

Hey, that's a bit of OK.

A healthy profit of £50.

-You're back in the game.

-Back in profit.

-Are we back in the room?

-Back in the room.

-Back in the room.

James fell in love with this table,

despite the damage - bought for £25.

Well, there's not an awful lot I can say about this.

It's...it is a standing up...

-LAUGHTER

-Well, I don't...!

-20. £20.

-£20.

-£20.

-Straight in there.

-Bid me 10.

A fiver.

-5. I've got a 5 online. £5.

-Thank you.

-8 anybody? At 5.

-Hammer's up.

-All done. £5.

-£5.

-Don't book a cruise, as my dad would say.

We've been robbed.

Chris and James's table was more boo than bam.

Sold for a £20 loss.

-So obviously...

-I'm very sorry.

-No, you're not. No, you're not.

Bad luck, but you've still got one more lot to go

to claw back some cash.

Patrick's pair of Victorian copper and brass tea urns are up next.

Bought for £10 each.

- 15. - Look!

20.

Bid me 30. 30.

At 30 in the room. At £30. Is there 5?

At 30. At £30. Is there 5?

35. Is there 40, sir? £35.

At 35, is everybody done?

£35.

This couple of characterful urns

have URN-ed Patrick a pretty profit of £15.

Well, it was better than nothing.

And it keeps them in front.

Now it's Patrick and Margie's final lot -

the Victorian elm and leather bellows.

£50. 50.

50.

-Start me at 30.

-Oh, God!

£30.

20.

Oh, dear.

We've got some muscle here. Don't worry, we'll get it in your car.

£20. Online, the bid.

That's the last call, then. I hope they don't want it posting.

-That's £20. Everybody done?

-Oh, that's ridiculous.

Patrick may have loved them but it's an £80 loss.

At least it sold.

Very cruel.

The winner of this road trip will be decided by the hammer price

of Chris and James's 19th-century bronze lamp base.

Nice. £60. 60.

-60.

-Go on. Go on.

£50.

50. Thank you, sir. £50. Is there 5?

At 50. At 50.

Nice piece at £50. 5 anywhere?

At 50. At 50.

Where's 5 now? At 50. Is there 5?

£50. Is there 5? £50.

Doesn't matter.

All done at £50. The hammer's up now.

£50.

A loss of £10, but it sounds like James has done the maths.

James, did you lose money on that?

We did.

But it doesn't really matter.

-It's doesn't matter because we had the bellows.

-Well done.

-AUCTIONEER:

-£70. Is there 2? 70 online...

On there.

Well, the results reveal Patrick and Margie were doing well

until the bellows blew them off course.

After auction costs, they actually lost £41.40,

leaving them with a total of £358.60.

Christopher and James fared only slightly better but came out on top.

After costs, they were out of pocket, too.

But only £7.54, giving them a final total of £392.46.

Well done.

- Congratulations, Christopher, sir. - I don't care about winning.

No, no, no.

-Well done. Well done.

-Thank you.

-Off we go.

-Off we go.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-CHRISTOPHER:

-So, Patrick, how's it been for you?

PATRICK: It's been great.

-It's been fab.

-I've had a really nice time. Sorry.