I’m a second-hand shopping expert, and I’ve found a place that’s absolutely amazing. Call me a treasure hunter, or just someone who loves a good bargain, but I find second-hand shopping has a whole extra layer of reward to it than your standard shopping. We all want to see our money go further. Second-hand shopping does exactly that—with the added benefit of reducing the amount of things that end up in landfill.
Over the years, I’ve become good at it. I’ve saved hundreds of pounds on outfits for weddings and other events that I have then sold on to make the money back, and I have developed an eye for items that are worth far more than they are being sold for—like a £3 watch I got at a car boot sale that I then found being sold online for £90. True, car boot sales and charity shops are hit and miss, and it really is a matter of going regularly until you find what you are after. But this one market that I have been going to for years has never failed to deliver some absolute gems.
Carew Market in south-west Wales is based at an airfield and holds a car boot sale and indoor market every Sunday “whatever the weather.” It is also open on bank holiday Mondays, and these tend to be bigger than the usual Sunday market. It is around 10 minutes outside of Tenby.
It opens at 8am, entry is free, and there is plenty of free parking available too. While the car boot sale is great and always has a wide variety of sellers, my favorite part is the indoor market. The warehouse is absolutely full to the brim with what I understand to be house-clearance items. There are rows and rows of tables full of everything you can possibly imagine.
I got there one Sunday at about 9.30am, a little later than I would have liked, but we had to take a detour for cash as it’s cash-only. My husband is on the lookout for a rare century-old watch, so he wanted to check out the cases of rare memorabilia like vintage watches and war medals. By this point, it was pretty busy, but there was still plenty of room to wander about. It can get quite tricky in the high summer, and it is a little difficult to maneuver with a wheelchair or pram, so you should be prepared for that if you visit.
The beauty of this place is that it is not curated. Nowadays, it’s pretty hard to find an antique store that is just packed full of old things to have a rummage through. Most stores have carefully selected pieces that are often priced higher so the dealer can make a profit. That said, there is a section of items which are a little bit more curated and likely rare and worth more, but for the most part, the indoor market is a bit of a jumble sale, and that is exactly why I love it. The first few rows are the best with plates, bowls, and mugs piled high and pots and pans dotted around.
Some of the standout items that I spotted on this visit included a basket full of vintage beer mats from around the world, which I thought could make an amazing piece of art in the hands of someone crafty. I also spotted a load of old Blue Peter books and artwork in abundance, with stacks of old vintage frames that could be repurposed or simply cleaned up and hung for a great gallery wall.
Under the rows of tables, you’ll find more boxes of trinkets. One section is full of vintage tins, including an old Quality Street one which was huge compared to the ones on offer today. They would make a wonderful addition to a bookshelf to add some character to your home. There was also a tonne of brass candlesticks, ornate and decorative vases and ornaments. There was a table full of old bedding and pillow cases, great for sewing projects, and a bookcase full of old glass bottles which could make interesting candlestick holders.
I bought a basket bag here last summer. It is one of my favorite-ever finds, and I’m always asked where it is from. In my most recent visit, I picked up a pizza plate, an egg cup, a plant pot, a magazine rack, and two blankets which were 100% cotton. It came to a total of £27—probably what one of the blankets alone would cost new.
As you stroll around the market, you’ll find that none of the items have prices on. You can either pick things up as you go then ask at the end how much for them all, with the stall holder pulling a price off the top of their head based on what you’re showing them, or just ask as you go along.
But the market isn’t just home to knick-knacks and trinkets. There is also a huge area of more specialist antiques and large pieces of furniture, but prices aren’t as inflated as they can get elsewhere. So if you are heading on holiday to west Wales this year and you fancy a slow morning stroll around a car boot sale followed by a rummage among an endless amount of bric-a-brac, make sure to add Carew Market to your list of places to check out.
