Estimated Price: £8,000 - £10,000

Designed by Sir Alec Issigonis at the same time as the Mini saloon, the Moke used an identical engine, transmission and suspension parts. Although the pre-production prototype came out in 1959, full-scale production did not start until 1964. It may seem strange to design and build a vehicle with no clear idea what you are going to do with it, but this was BMC in the 1960s. It was initially mooted as a parachute-dropped utility vehicle for the British Army, but this notion failed at the first hurdle when they rejected it due to its low ground clearance. It was then decided that it would make an excellent tool for farmers and as a light commercial vehicle. This was partially scuppered yet again when it was rated as a passenger car and therefore subject to Purchase Tax. It did, however, gain a strong following and became a cult-classic after featuring in the TV series, The Prisoner, and eventually found its true role as a low-maintenance recreational vehicle, at which it excelled. From the beaches of St Barths to the shores of St Tropez, the Moke went on to be loved by the Beatles, Bardot, Bond and the Beach Boys, becoming a genuine piece of British design history.

Likewise, the Raleigh Chopper MkII is a cultural icon of the 1970s and was produced by the Raleigh Bicycle Company in Nottingham from 1972 to 1983. The MkII introduced critical design changes to improve safety and stability and these updates helped spark a massive global sales craze that saved Raleigh from bankruptcy.

The ‘Macbeth Moke’

The car presented here is a 1966 Morris Mini Moke Mk1 with a fascinating – and aristocratic – backstory. Now in barn-find condition, along with its stable-mate - a motorised MkII Raleigh Chopper - this Moke has an intriguing history.

The Campbells of Cawdor are a prominent, ancient Highland branch of Clan Campbell, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland Scottish clans. The Calders of Cawdor became Campbells by marriage in 1510 and are famously – and possibly directly - linked to William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The clan crest is a crowned swan, and their motto is ‘Be Mindful’.

Their historical seat is Cawdor Castle in the County of Nairn which dates from the 14th Century. Legend tells that the Thane of Cawdor was told in a dream to place his treasure on a donkey and let it wander and, at the spot where the donkey rested, he should build his castle and his family would prosper. The donkey chose a holly tree that still stands in the ground floor chamber and has been dated to 1372.

The name Cawdor still connects the castle and family to Shakespeare's Macbeth (the ‘Scottish play’), however, the tale told by Shakespeare takes extensive liberties with history. In the play, Macbeth, then Thane of Glamis, encounters three witches, the 'weird sisters', on the 'Blasted Heath' on the road to Forres. They prophesy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then King. Duncan makes Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor then Macbeth and his lady plot to murder Duncan to fulfil the prophecy. Duncan is slain in his sleep at Macbeth's castle, an act that leads to Macbeth's downfall. In 1592 the Thane of Cawdor was murdered in a plot that implicated James VI so the line ‘Is execution done on Cawdor?’ would have pointed the finger at the King.

Our vendor’s father was Hugh Campbell, Thane and Earl of Cawdor (1932-1993). When his grandfather John died in 1970, he and his family moved to Cawdor Castle, growing up on the 50,000 acre family estate. Hugh was a classic car enthusiast owning various Jaguar E-Types, Ferraris, Range Rovers, a Mini Cooper S, an old 1930s Bentley (once owned by John Cobb), an Audi Quattro and latterly a Porsche 928.

In December 1981, the family gathered for Christmas at Cawdor. Our then 16-year-old vendor recalls that his siblings all received generous presents; however, for him, there was nothing left under the Christmas tree, only a small envelope perched among the candles on the tree containing a note and a set of keys. Unbeknown to him, his father had driven this Mk1 Mini Moke across the drawbridge and parked it in the front courtyard. The note requested the driver to remove the vehicle. As he was led out, excited and curious, snow was gently falling. This gift was intended to keep our young vendor off motorcycles (which didn’t work, as he became a very accomplished enduro and adventure rider, traveling all over the world!).

The Mini Moke was thoroughly enjoyed, even before our vendor had a driving licence, using it on the tracks through the woodlands behind the castle. In the mid-1980s, it was taxed and insured and he drove it down to London for the summers of 1985 and 1986 when he was at university, a journey that used to take him 14 hours! He even drove his aunt and uncle in it to a Royal Wedding in 1986, the Moke being met with a great reception and much noise by the crowds outside Westminster Abbey, supposedly filmed by Australian TV but not shown on the BBC.

The Moke and its Raleigh Chopper stablemate – adapted in-period by our vendor’s Parisian friend as an experiment (using a French moped engine) – are now offered for sale as a pair without reserve. Both will require inspection and work obviously, and are in barn-find, non-running condition but being part of a very special story, featuring in the formative years of our vendor, they surely now deserve another chance to be enjoyed.