A RETIRED auctioneer and antiques valuer admitted he was 'stunned' when he found a small silver cup in a local antiques emporium in Whitchurch.

Gerald Tilston, from Malpas, found the decorated cup which was engraved as a presentation piece for the best pen of sheep at a pre-Christmas mart on December 12, 1877, at the now defunct Malpas Smithfield.

The Malpas mart was then operated by auctioneers George John Robert Simpson and William Crawley at Hampton Heath Malpas.

Gerald said he began his research after his find.

He added: "After finding the cup, I undertook some research.

"The auction at Hampton was known as Malpas Smithfield, and newspaper cuttings from the era reveal that the auction sold mixed stock including ‘a few fat beasts, a lot of heifers, a few pens of sheep, and one dozen lots of fat and store pigs'.

"Cups were offered by the auctioneers at the Christmas sale for the best beast in the yard, with a silver medal for second, and a silver cup for the best pen of sheep."

The average price for stock included between £17 10s and £25 for fat cows, £2 10s for sheep and £4 for calves

Gerald added: "I believe that some stock for the auction arrived by train to Malpas Station and was driven down the road to the mart.

"The line was operated by the London and North-Western Railway Company, and they built the Chester-Whitchurch branch line which went through Waverton, Tattenhall, Broxton, Malpas, Grindley Brook and Whitchurch.

"Originally the mart was held midweek but then later moved to a Saturday."

The last sale at this auction was on Saturday, July 15, 1989, and the auctioneers were Jones and Son of Wrexham.