Traditional & contemporary craft courses in north Wales
0776 5251531
courses@wernogwood.co.uk
handmade by you in
wernog wood
Greenwood chair or stool making
See course details, dates, costs, tutors & stories from students below
Join Charles Ash to explore traditional greenwood techniques using unseasoned ash to make either a stool (two days), or a freeform chair which could have arms if you choose (five days).
From a single log, you will learn to cleave, shape, and join each component using traditional hand tools and steam bending techniques. Seated on a shave horse, you will use a drawknife to shape the wood, letting its natural curves and character guide the creation of your design.
This hands-on approach connects you with time-honoured methods and the pleasure of working with living wood. By the end of the week, you will take home a one-of-a-kind, handmade stool or chair - ready to be used and treasured for generations.
£595 - 5 day chair making
plus £55 - £75 for materials depending on what you make
payable at the time of the course
£265 - 2 day stool making
plus £35 - £55 for materials depending on what you make
payable at the time of the course
Tea, coffee and simple lunch included in your course price
We also offer accommodation & evening meals
Click here to see what we offer
This course is aimed at adults, aged 18yrs +
and is suitable for beginners to those with experience
Please be sure to read terms & conditions before you book
Under the name of Touchwood Crafts, Charles Ash designs and makes contemporary furniture deeply rooted in traditional greenwood techniques, selecting only the most elegant shapes from each tree to create his refined, modern aesthetic.
After a career in theatre set building, including work at Shakespeare’s Globe, his passion for hand tools and historical methods led him to pre-industrial furniture making. Travelling widely, he learned from leading greenwood and coppice workers across the UK and beyond.
...
Combining traditional methods with modern design, Charles creates sculptural, sustainable furniture for contemporary homes. Today, his work is found worldwide, and through his workshops and talks, he continues to champion a simpler, greener, and beautifully functional way of making.
Stories from our students
'I spent the most magical week in Wernog Wood and came away with a gorgeous handmade chair which is comfortable as well as pretty! I feel restored and reconnected with my creative core.' - Camilla
Such a happy haven. 5 days of the best sort of holiday. Combination of hard work learning lots of new skills in order to make a chair starting with ash logs. Working with 6 others with a variety of experience, in a very supportive encouraging atmosphere. - Mandy
'A fantastic slice of nature’s offerings in the Welsh countryside - a perfect mix of hills, woodland, meadow and stream all in very close vicinity. Claire and Rob made us all very welcome, and kept us more than well fed and watered. The chairmaking course was a complete detox from a life over-burdened with electronics and mechanical tricks that ‘save’ us the bother, and true joy of hand crafting something as simple as a chair. There are easier and cheaper ways of adding a chair to the household inventory but most definitely none so satisfying. - James
"Badly wanting a complete breather from work, I needed a holiday that was different in every way from my normal stressful day. I have always enjoyed making things, but I hadn't appreciated that I would leave with so much more than a beautiful handmade chair. Thrown together with a small group of people from all walks of life, I wondered whether we would all get on... but camping and cooking for each other soon levelled us. I didn't leave the wood for a week and came home feeling revitalised... so good that I kept going back and now have four greenwood chairs around my kitchen table.... so good that I'm now organising courses for others to enjoy'. - Claire
Upcoming Dates
Please be sure to read terms & conditions before you book
Join the waiting list or express interest in future courses
If a course is full, please join the waiting list as we will contact you in case of any cancellation ... it does happen!
or
If you would like to attend a course but can't make it on the available date, you can register interest in future dates.