How did you get to open the Marchmont Workshop?
For both of us it was a mix of talent, ambition and luck. In 2018, we were chosen for an apprenticeship with Lawrence Neal, who at the time was arguably the sole custodian of this traditional craft: he was still creating historic ladderback chairs in the style of Ernest Gimson and Philip Clissett.
Can you say you two are his successors?
Even though there is no family link, we represent the sixth generation of this craft, whose designs, methods, techniques and secrets were passed directly from one generation to the next – and then on to us. We feel the connection to our predecessors through our craft.
© The Marchmont Workshop
Although your designs and processes are strictly traditional, do you experiment as well?
Our core business is definitely traditional designs which have been unaltered for decades, but we like to experiment as well. We just started designing and handcrafting our first tables but we don’t have much time because, thankfully, the core business keeps us extremely busy.
What is the added value of a handcrafted piece?
Handcrafting is like leaving your fingerprint on a creation: in the end you can perceive the amount of care taken during the whole process, the attention paid to every single piece of wood that no machinery can ensure.