Hello and welcome to our new acquisition Wallingford Antiques Arcade (aka The Lamb).  Owner, Adrian Gilmour purchased the business at the end of April and since then, it has been all systems go!!!  We are in the process of building a new website and will let you know when it is up and running.

There have already been big transformations downstairs and in the Courtyard.  Customers, stallholders and staff are thrilled to bits as it all begins to take shape.  Here is a little taster of what has been happening.

New owner, Adrian Gilmour, who is also a cabinet maker turned this

beautiful Victorian bar into a fantastic new desk/counter

Wait until you see the rest of it around the corner!

Ian Spuffard’s new Junk Shop Unit in the Courtyard at Wallingford Arcade

Phil’s exquisite Tea Room now has a beautiful outside seating area in the

Courtyard where you can relax in lovely surroundings

Where the van is parked will be Brenda’s beautiful Countryside shop with garden furniture

and beautiful things for your home and garden

When you feel like a drive out, come and visit our beautiful new centre.  At the moment we are not open on Sundays due to the upgrade. Other than that, we are open every day from 10.00 to 5.00 pm

Hungerford Arcade is very proud to announce the return of Hocktide and Tutti Days on Monday, 25th and Tuesday, 26th April 2022 thanks to The Town and Manor of Hungerford and Liberty of Sanden Fee.

Hocktide is a two-week long festival following Easter. The most well-known day is Tutti-Day (also known as Hock Tuesday or Hockney Day), and the chief event of Tutti-Day is the holding of the Hocktide Court. There are a number of other functions and events that take place through the fortnight, including Ale-Tasting and the Commoners’ Luncheon.

The tradition of Hocktide dates back to the 14^th century, when John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, who owned much of the land around Hungerford, gave certain fishing rights to the townsfolk, which continue to this day. This was in addition to privileges already bestowed on the town by his father, Edward III, and grandfather Edward I, who gave the rights to hold charter markets and fairs. The festival today is the commemoration and continuation of this by the townsfolk – around 100 properties still have commoners rights and their owners are the Commoners of the court.

On Hocktide Day the festivities begin with the appearance of the Bellman on the Town Hall balcony at 8am, summoning the Commoners to Court, then perambulating the town. The special court is held upstairs at the Town Hall in the morning chaired by the Constable, whilst two nattily dressed Tuttimen (who carry flower-decorated poles with an orange on top) call at the commoners’ houses around the town accompanied by the Orangeman and Tutti Wenches,  giving out oranges and asking for donations or kisses en route throughout the day.

Tuttimen & Maids having a great time at Hungerford Arcade

Tuttimen are so-called regardless of gender!  The tasty Commoners Lunch takes place during the afternoon at the Corn Exchange on the ground floor of the Town Hall: expect speeches, toasts and the tasty but lethal Plantagenet Punch. The meal is followed by Shoeing the Colts, during which first-time visitors have a horseshoe nailed to their heel by the blacksmith until they call “Punch”. The residents particularly enjoy watching Colts being wrestled to the ground for their shoeing, but they’re gentler with ladies who get to sit on a chair.

After the fun and frolics, anchovies on toast are served at the Three Swans across the road from 5pm then further serious drinking takes place with  the return of the Tuttimen from their rounds around 9pm. The local band also play free of charge during the evening at the Corn Exchange.

The associated Constables Sunday parade takes place on the Sunday following Tutti Day, at 10.45 am, from the Town Hall to St Lawrence’s Church for a special service.

Anyone can turn up on the day to watch the Bellman and the Tutti Procession around town and attend the Court as a Visitor (all free of charge) but you need tickets for the Lunch as places are limited.

Ann Parker (Unit 42p) decorates a window at the Arcade.  At the moment, she has a beautiful Easter window, but soon it will be a Tutti Day display which you really must see.  We always get a visit from the Tuttimen.  There is  lot of excitement in the Arcade when they arrive, with everyone gathering around hoping to get a photograph of them.  We always give them a drink and the Tuttimen give the lady a kiss and an orange.  Fabulous tradition.

Find out a lot more about Hocktide & Tutti Day by clicking here

Hungerford Arcade is only closed on 3 days a year!  This is just a reminder that we will be closed on Easter Sunday.

We look forward to welcoming you all again on Easter Monday, when we will be open as usual between 9.15 and 5.30.

Ann Parker has produced this wonderful window display for Easter for us.  Do come and see it as it’s only here for a short time before she updates it for Hocktide.

We wish everyone, stallholders, customers and friends, a very Happy Easter!

Hungerford Arcade often has coach parties in to visit us.

Recently, we hosted a party from Victoria Travel Sussex from Newhaven in East Sussex (victoriatravelsussex.com)  They were staying at Littlecote House Hotel, a nearby Tudor mansion that played a significant part in the English Civil War.  It also has a Roman Mosaic in its grounds so is well worth a visit when you are in the area.

Sylvia Brenchley (in blue) and Mavis Prince showing the bowl they bought from unit 40, with Vivienne King, the stallholder

The party were playing charity ‘Bargain Hunt’. Each member was given £20 and told to ‘haggle hard’!!  They had a lovely time wandering round the Arcade deciding what to spend their money on. They took their instructions seriously and as several of the dealers were in restocking were able to negotiate directly with them and strike some very good bargains.

Chula Bishop of unit 22 with Margaret.

All the items bought will be auctioned back in Newhaven.  The total raised will go to charity with the person whose item makes the greatest profit named the winner and nominating the charity.  What a great idea!

Hungerford Arcade is thrilled that our International visitors are starting to come back as the world reopens but, sadly, not all of them are travelling yet.  One such is Erik Thorbjornsen, a friend and regular visitor from Norway who, because of quarantine restrictions and family commitments, is unable to visit. 

Erik with Adrian Gilmour, the owner, during his last visit in 2019

During lockdown last year, I spent time on video calls with him, enabling him to purchase stock remotely.  If you’ve seen me using my phone to video units and muttering to myself, I’m pleased to report that I’m not losing my marbles (although there are those who would disagree!) but have again been helping Erik to restock this year.  He has bought a wide selection of pieces from over 20 units so the dealers are very happy.

His shippers have collected his purchases this morning and we look forward to seeing him in person as soon as he is able. 

Hungerford Arcade is a large happy family of staff and dealers and we like to consider our customers as part of our extended family. We are always thrilled to be included in the major events of their lives.

Lyn and Allan Cooper of Chippenham have their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 26th February 2022 and came in to purchase a ring to commemorate the occasion. 

They selected this fabulous diamond cluster ring which looks stunning on Lyn’s finger.

They are currently on a cruise to the Canaries and will be on Fuenteventura soaking up the sun on the big day.

We wish them a very Happy Anniversary and many more and look forward to seeing the holiday photos on their return!

Hungerford Arcade owners, managers, staff and stallholders send our congratulations to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 70 glorious years of unwavering service to the Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland and the Commonwealth.  We must also remember that His Royal Highness Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh devoted his life to our Queen, country and the Commonwealth.  Together, they made our country Great all around the world and there are not enough words or deeds to show our deep love and appreciation to them both.

LONG LIVE OUR GRACIOUS QUEEN

Cecil Beaton, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

and

His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

We love our four legged visitors here at Hungerford Arcade.  We have a lovely surprise visit from Adam and Tom with their two beautiful puppies, Coco and Luna who were too cute for words.  Everyone fell in love with them and when Tom told us they were looking for  a forever home for Luna, the oohs! and the aahs’ just kept coming.

One lady in particular fell in love with Luna and was rushing home to discuss having Luna with her husband.  Sure enough, a few days later, we received an email from Tom saying Luna was now safely in her forever home.

                                                                                                                                                               L-R Adam & Coco – Tom & Luna

                                        Beautiful Luna – Now in her Forever Home

We were delighted to receive our first international visitor of the year on New Year’s Day.  It is a very welcome sign that the world is opening up again.

Joanne Harnett (on the right) was equally delighted to be here as she hadn’t been able to visit her niece, Mary Kate, who lives in Hampshire, for 27 months owing to the travel restrictions.  They spent a happy couple of hours in the Arcade where Joanne found some items of vintage Coalport china which matched a set she has back home.

Joanne has been visiting from California, where she lives in Alameda, on an island in San Francisco Bay. She spent Christmas here, returning home in the first week of January, where we hope she is now basking in sunshine and warmer temperatures!