Trusted professional property and auction services, based in the South West

Jemima Bennett BSc. (Hons) MRICS

Principal & Director - Head of Survey & Valuations, Chartered Surveyor, RICS Registered Valuer

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Jemima graduated from Harper Adams University College in 2009 with a degree in Rural Enterprise and Land Management. Joining Tamlyns in Autumn 2009 Jemima worked initially with the Rural Team, specialising in Valuations and Environmental Stewardship Schemes.

Since qualifying as a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2011 Jemima moved across to work predominantly with the Survey and Valuation Team, and carries out Valuations and HomeBuyers Surveys covering a large part of the South West.

In 2017 Jemima became Principal and Director of Tamlyns, whilst continuing to manage the Survey and Valuation Department.

James Venton BSc. (Hons)

Assistant Principal - Head of Architectural Services

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After achieving a National Diploma in Construction at College, James moved on to study Building Surveying at the University of The West of England in 1999.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Building Surveying in 2002, James joined Tamlyns as a graduate surveyor. After an initial period of working in the Survey and Valuation department undertaking building survey related work, James moved across to work in the Architectural Services Department.

James was made Head of the Architectural Services Department in 2007, and has continued to grow the department year on year, working with his team on construction projects across Somerset.

James was appointed Assistant Principal in 2017 and works closely with Jemima overseeing management of the company.

Aidan Smith

Office & Finance Manager

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Aidan started with Tamlyns working at Head Office in 2013, having just left college. It was here Aidan began studying his AAT accounting diploma.

In 2016, Aidan was coming to the end of his diploma when he started with Tamlyns as Finance Manager bringing with him a basic understanding of IT, Human Resource & Administrative knowledge.

Having fully qualified at AAT level 4, Aidan’s financial knowledge is a great asset to the company. Aidan plans to progress his knowledge further by studying to become a Chartered Accountant while he supports Jemima and James as part of the senior management team, of which he has continuously shown he has the strengths to do so.

John Morehen BSc. MRICS

Director / Chartered Building Surveyor

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John is a Director of Tamlyns and carries out a large proportion of the Building Surveys and HomeBuyers reports in the company.

He became a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 1983 and has been working in Somerset since 1988. John joined the Professional team at Tamlyns in the mid-90s.

John has been involved with the training and post qualification experience of all the graduate surveyors in the company, most of which are still employed as Chartered Surveyors in the expanding professional, agricultural and planning departments.

Neil Gladwin FRICS FAAV

Director & Head of Rural Professional Services

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Neil has been advising farmers and landowning clients in Somerset for over 30 years applying his expertise in matters of property valuation and business development to add value to his clients’ property interests. A Registered Valuer, providing valuation advice for the purposes of estate and tax planning, compulsory purchase, business re-structuring and tenancy negotiations, he has worked with all of the principal banks and lending institutions and throughout his career has been acknowledged as a specialist in matters to do with funding for farms and rural businesses.

Neil is frequently called upon to provide litigation support as an Expert Witness or Single Joint Expert on property matters and has given evidence in the High Court on valuations of land and commercial property, residential developments and restrictive covenants.

Outside of work Neil is a keen horseman.

Ian Walker, FNAEA, FNAVA

Senior Auctioneer & Land Agent

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A land agent, auctioneer and valuer with a wide breadth of experience in all aspects of Tamlyns’ rural business, having joined the firm of Tamlyn & Son some 40 years ago as a trainee auctioneer, Ian has worked through all departments of the business, from initially being “the boy who stuck on the lot numbers”, to being where he is today.

Ian now specialises in agricultural matters and some of the more technical issues around land and property ownership, as well as being Senior Auctioneer, particularly in regard to property auctions.

Ian deals with such matters as development land options and valuations for probate, but still on occasion might be found “sticking on lot numbers” or carrying the auctioneer’s sale sheets.

If asked about his other interests, you'll hear about his family and his work in the community, having been a Magistrate for over 20 years.

Matthew Reed BSc. (Hons)

Graduate Rural Surveyor

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Matthew has recently joined the Rural Department as an Agricultural Surveyor, having graduated from the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester with a degree in Rural Land Management. Post Cirencester, he has gained an interesting array of experience within a similar firm of Surveyors and Auctioneers in Devon, as well as a national Rural Planning Consultancy firm; where he advised farmers and landowners across the West country on the vast majority of rural planning matters.

Matthew grew up in the West country and looks forward to making use of the experience he has gained as he works closely with the Agricultural, Planning and Auctioneering departments.

When not working for Tamlyns Matthew is a keen sportsman and enjoys playing Tennis, Fives, Squash & Cricket for a Touring Team around Somerset. When time allows he enjoys exploring the countryside. During the season, he enjoys Fly Fishing, Reeling and attending Local Point-to-Point meets.

Abbie Lewis BSc. (Hons)

Graduate Rural Surveyor

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Abbie has recently joined the Rural Department as a Graduate Rural Surveyor, having graduated from The Royal Agricultural University with a degree in Rural Land Management in July 2019.

Over the next few years Abbie will be working towards passing her APC and CAAV exams, while working closely with the Agricultural, Planning and Auctioneering departments.

Having grown up in the local area Abbie has been heavily involved in local young farmers and hockey teams. She is currently playing hockey for Bridgwater Ladies and is also the treasurer of Bridgwater Young Farmers, along with looking after and riding her horse in her spare time.

Jane Rawles

Rural & Planning Administrator

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Jane joined Tamlyns in April 2016. Leaving a position in HR, which she was in for 20 years, Jane brings with her a significant amount of administration and database system experience. Jane works across all teams but in 2018 took on a more specialised role with the Rural Department.

Julie Champion

Office & Finance Assistant

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Julie joined Tamlyns at the start of 2016, bringing with her 20 years-worth of book-keeping experience.

Her main role within finance is to deal with the daily banking for our Rural Professional Services, from FBT's, Grass Keep and Field Rent. A key member of the finance and admin team, she is very diverse and adaptable to all departments.

Julie can be seen at both our indoor & outdoor auctions working in the admin roles that help to make the auctions successful.

In her spare time, Julie enjoys spending time with her children, grandchildren and dog, Codie.

Graham Braid ACIAT

Architectural Technician

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Graham qualified as an Architectural Technician in 2009, obtaining a Higher National Certificate in Construction from Somerset College of Arts & Technology. Originally from Yeovil, Graham was accepted into the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) in 2014 as an associate member and is now working towards qualifying as a Chartered Technologist.

Graham joined Tamlyns and the Drawing, Planning & Design / Architectural Services Department in April 2018, primarily overseeing the Building Regulation application process. Graham will also assist James Venton with the preparation and submitting of planning applications and the discharging of any planning conditions. Along with his technical background, Graham also brings to Tamlyns his 3d modelling capabilities, which has already proved invaluable in the granting of several recent planning applications.

Outside of work, Graham is a keen badminton player and a devoted Yeovil Town supporter, someone has to be!

Nick Bond BSc. (EST MAN) MRICS

Chartered Surveyor / RICS Registered Valuer

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Nick graduated from the College of Estate Management in London in 1969 with a degree in Estate Management. Nick progressed to become a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 1972.

Nick has always lived and worked locally and joined Tamlyns in the mid-90s. With expertise in both residential and commercial property valuation, Nick works predominantly in the Survey and Valuation department, however his work on occasion crosses over into both the Agricultural Department and the Auction side of the business.

Robert Arnell BA (Hons) GradDip MRICS

Chartered Building Surveyor

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Robert completed a Graduate Diploma in Building Surveying at the University of the West of England in 2011. He joined Tamlyns in 2015 as Assistant Building Surveyor after several years training under his father, a Chartered Building Surveyor and became a full member of the RICS in 2015.

His experience is predominantly in residential surveys and architectural design. He has worked in the Bristol area for a number of years now and has a particular interest in building conservation.

Outside of work Rob has a passion for electronic music, continuing to write music as a hobby, and has had a number of plays on BBC Radio, some of which released on independent record labels. He is not bad on the 1’s & 2’s either.

Alison Walsh BSc. MRICS

Chartered Surveyor – Valuation and Homebuyer specialist

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Alison qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1986. She has lived and worked in the southwest since 1985, and has been carrying out residential survey work since 1988. Alison joined Tamlyns in 2017 and specialises in valuations and Homebuyer reports.

Julie Draycott

Survey & Valuation Administrator

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Julie first joined the company as a Secretary in 1996 following WH Palmer & Sons’ amalgamation with Tamlyns. She left in 2000 to start a family and worked from home for 18 months during this time. Julie returned to work at Tamlyns in 2005 as Secretary to the Survey and Valuation and Architectural Departments and now coordinates the SV Team.

Carole Lawrence

Auction Room Assistant

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Fiona Jackson

Auction Room Assistant

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Helen Preece

Jewellery Specialist

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Martyn Taylor

Militaria Specialist

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