NEARLY all of the contents of this three-storey country house are going up for auction this summer.

The items from Hillcrest, Church Lane, in Charlton Marshall, Blandford, are being sold without reserve.

They are going under the Charterhouse auction gavel on Wednesday, July 27.

Richard Bromell, from Charterhouse, said: "We have been instructed to auction about 98 per cent of the contents at Hillcrest, a three-storey country house, all being sold entirely without reserve.

“Although the house is not a Palladian property the contents are certainly that of a country house from with 18th century walnut furniture and garden statuary through to a library of 1,000s of books.”

The family, who has been in and around Blandford for centuries, moved into Hillcrest in 1976.

With much inherited over the decades, it is a treasure trove of antiques through to modern garden statuary.

In the house, which is accessed via an unmade track and located at the top of a hill, is a vast array of furniture, ceramics, glass, pictures, silver, jewellery and books.

Outside the house there is the contents of a well-equipped workshop with tools, chainsaws to a wood turning lathe and in the garden there are staddle stones, benches, garden statuary and even the contents of a large log store.

Viewing is at the house on Monday and Tuesday, July 25 and 25, from 9.30am to 4.30pm, with the auction taking place at their Sherborne Salerooms and online on Wednesday, August 17, at 9.30am.

All the lots can be seen on www.charterhouse-auction.com where live internet bidding is also available.

Richard Bromell and the team at Charterhouse can be contacted for valuations at The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne 01935 812277 info@charterhouse-auction.com where they are now taking entries for their August specialist auctions of silver, jewellery, watches along with wine, port and whisky.