When it was known that Antiques Roadshow was coming to Wrest Park Mike Olney and Dave Bell thought it the ideal opportunity to have the experts look at the silver flagon and the silver chalice and paten that has been in the Church’s possession for very many years. Mike Olney contacted the BBC to explain the history of the items as they had a strong association with Wrest Park where the show was coming from and he and
Dave Bell presented the items and explained that they were given by Amabel the Dowager Duchess of Kent in 1667 to the Chapel at Ease, St Leonard’s, which stood on the site of the present Church in Silsoe. The expert at the show was Alastair Dickenson, the valuer of silver for Aspreys of London.
He pointed out that there was a slight difference between the coat of arms on the flagon and on the chalice, which reflected the fact that one was given by Amabel before her husband died, the other after his death. Alastair was very complimentary about the quality of the items and a final valuation is awaited. In the meantime the items have been returned to the secure vault from which they were collected for the show.
