circular bench for Merton College, Oxford

I have not posted much recently because I have been rather busy with one thing and another. One of these things is making a largish bench for Merton College in Oxford. The person I have in contact with for  this commission is Lucille Savin, the head gardener. I supplied various designs and the College choose what turned out the be the best one for the space.

As you can see from the photos this is not green woodwork, but incorporates skills from the other side of my business, which is making seating. In the past, clients have included museums, country parks, private companies including Forgemasters in Sheffield, owners of public spaces or private gardens; and are most often commissioned  as memorial seating, either in grave yards or places personal to the family or deceased. All this work is made to order and the process from design to delivery usually takes months.

 This bench seats about 10 people, in the newly designed Warden's Quarters garden.

Lucille kindly gave me a quick tours of the college, an amazing place with centuries of history. I particularly liked the hinges on this door.

Which led into the dining room, which has a very finely finished roof.

Never have I seen such detailed braces, personally I prefer something a little less worked.

Below is some of the other benches I make

These below were made for Ulster Folk Museum in Northern Ireland

Some of my curvy benches which I want to do more design work on, especially the legs

Above was a bench made for Paignton Zoo out of a fallen oak tree in their nature reserve.