Woodworkers All of our craftspeople adhere to ethical and sustainability guidelines. Woodworkers use only native timbers, produced from British woodlands that are managed in traditional ways. Most of the work illustrated here has been made from English oak. This is traditionally worked 'green', for use in outdoor situations and it is an accepted feature that it will move and twist in response to environmental factors. This gives added interest to each piece in use and in no way affects its structural strength.

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Peak District Footpath Bridge

We have recently installed a hand-carved oak bridge over a stream near the Pennine Way at Edale. The bridge was commissioned on behalf of a local family who live in the Hope Valley, in memory of a Sheffield-born man. It was made by a local craftsman using green oak and carved from a single tree. "I needed a tree with a slight curve in it which I could use to carve both the bridge and the handrails - eventually I found the perfect oak in some local woodland managed for nature conservation. It's a lovely memorial in a beautiful setting and a wonderful celebration of someone's life."
The finished bridge is also very welcome to local walkers who, for the last 18 months, have had to ford the stream since the original bridge was washed away. The National Trust's High Peak Estate is particularly pleased that the bridge has been completed: "This new bridge sits on one of our busy paths in Edale. We've been happy to support this project as it not only improves access for the many walkers who enjoy the area but also promotes the use of appropriate materials and high quality design in the countryside. We believe that it is important to support specialist local skills and crafts. Not only that but the bridge looks great and is a pleasure to walk across!"

A Stylish 'Wheat Ear' Field Gate 

In the Cotswolds, a local craftswoman worked with The Stile Company to carve a simple oak gate at a private garden in the village of Buckland near Broadway. She is totally committed to using local natural materials: "I enjoy working with the natural forms and qualities of the wood and aim to combine fresh design with good workmanship, giving both comfort and strength to the piece." The gate was created to the brief of the design and build landscape contractors who were working on the large garden of the property

Ridgeway Stile

The stile is in memory of our client's husband, who loved to walk on The Ridgeway and who was well known in the local area. The stile was constructed by a local craftswoman who works with both wood and metal, using locally grown English oak and traditional peg and dowel techniques, with no metal fixings. It incorporated a unique galvanised dog-latch with decorative handle and special stainless steel vandal proof fixings. It was accompanied by a slate stone, set to the side to resemble a milestone, hand letter-carved with a suitable inscription.

Nursing Home Seat

Crafted from local oak, with arms carved from sweet chestnut, a curved seat for a nursing home garden near Worthing sits perfectly against a yew hedge, providing a relaxing setting for up to four people at a time. A family member says it's a positive reminder of her grandmother's life: "My family and I are delighted that this wooden seat was so beautifully constructed in my grandmother's memory. She was a strong, practical and amazing woman who adored working and spending time in her own garden and who can now be remembered by all those who sit on this extraordinary seat to enjoy the surroundings and view".

Meerbrook Stile

The project involved the replacement of an existing dilapidated stile and fencing with a new stile, hand-made with English oak from coppice woodland in Shropshire. A carved hand-hold post featured oak leaves and wildflowers. Fencing of sweet chestnut rails set the stile into the gap between two existing stone gate posts.

Sheen Stile

Situated on a footpath in the White Peak area of the Peak District, at a spot where the path crosses a small brook. The stile and new fencing were designed to make the site safer for people crossing the water, removing the danger of slipping into the stream.