The Hereford Times

Comic Howerd's memorabilia for sale

1:40pm Saturday 10th May 2008

The former home of comic legend Frankie Howerd is on the market with more than 4,000 items of memorabilia including his toupee, false teeth and photographs offered as an optional extra, the current owners said.

The four-bedroom, pink, picture-postcard cottage in Cross, near Axbridge, Somerset, comes complete with two bathrooms, large grounds and its own war bunker.

The £800,000 country retreat is full of items spanning the career of the late comic performer - offered to potential buyers for an additional £600,000.

Wavering Down House houses scripts, a Christmas card from Pope John Paul II and swords handled by Hollywood legends Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra.

As well as pictures of royalty and Hollywood stars, the house contains trinkets, furniture and personal documents owned by Howerd.

Howerd died 16 years ago but his memory has been maintained in the house where his close friend Chris Byrne and Dennis Heymer, Frankie's former partner and manager, currently live.

Mr Byrne, a councillor, manages the star's estate and has run a series of public open days at the house over the past few years in aid of charity.

Speaking from the house, Mr Byrne said it is time for he and Mr Heymer, who is now in his 80s, to leave the home and "move on".

He said: "It's a one-off house, with the setting and the grounds. But the archives will boggle people's minds. We've got paintings, Frank's X-rays, his school reports and his war papers. We've even got a hernia belt and the couch where he died."

Mr Byrne said he hoped the buyer would buy the property and items "lock, stock and barrel" for a combined £1.4 million - but it would be up to the new homeowner to decide as much or as little they would like to purchase.