Cox’s Architectural in Moreton-in-Marsh, known as Cox's Yard to shut its doors for the last time

For over 25 years, Cox’s Architectural in Moreton, known affectionately as Cox’s Yard, has been the go-to venue for everything from a stately home fireplace, to a tricky little hinge or bracket.

Pete Watson, the genial proprietor, started the business in Stratford-upon-Avon, sharing a building and machinery with a timber yard.

Once established, he moved the business to its current location, an Art Deco dairy building in Moreton in Marsh.

From here, he’s been sourcing material from all over the UK and Europe, and shipping his stock around the world for over two decades.

Cox’s Yard has always been well known for its array of doors.

There are over 200 in the store now, ranging from oak and pine to mahogany, from Georgian to Victorian, modern pine to 1600s Rajasthani, from plain to intricately decorated and from panel to flush, from normal door size to properly vast.

But Cox’s Yard isn’t just about doors, it’s about Belfast sinks and fittings, large reclaimed oak beams , pine floor boards, door knobs and knockers, vintage light fittings, taps, bath plugs, nails and door studs, radiators, curtain poles and fittings, latches and brackets, lamps, and everything in between.

Mr Watson said: “We’re sad to be closing Cox’s Architectural, but the market has changed. Contemporary is in; reclaimed original materials are 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 to go out with a bang – every single last item must go, and the price reductions will be ridiculous; the last thing we want is to be left with stock. This is Christmas, Birthday and Easter for anyone who loves a reclamation bargain

“From the beginning of September, right through to when we close our doors (if we haven’t sold them!) at the end of October, everything will be half price or quarter price or even much less.

“We’re getting prepared now, and are finding things we haven’t seen for years. 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.”

Mr Watson added: “We regularly send bath plugs out to Australia. The Australians have old fashioned English baths from the days of the Empire.

“The baths have lasted, but the super-sized bath plugs get lost or wear out. And we send doors to every part of the globe – recently we sent a shipment of 200 to Japan.

“One of our most spectacular finds were three magnificent 19th Century carved stone urns that were in the garden of a house that we were clearing. “Measuring 6’ high, 8’ in diameter, and weighing three and half tons a piece, moving them was a major operation. They now have a beautiful home (thankfully in the UK!) and are highly valued by their new owner.”