The Sylva Wood Centre in south Oxfordshire is the home of the Sylva Foundation. Our main focus at the Sylva Wood Centre is to encourage the use of home-grown wood by supporting skills, enterprise and innovation. We achieve this through a number of ways:
We provide a hub for small businesses and craftspeople who design, innovate or make in wood. Businesses range from furniture making and outdoor structures, to boatbuilding and upholstery. There is also a small-scale timber yard on the site.
Read more about our inspiring community of woodworking professionals.
We provide facilities to support business incubation, including start-up units, shared workspaces, and hot-benching facilities.
For further information about terms and availability please contact Joseph Bray.
Our dedicated teaching facilities support life-long learning in woodworking and related crafts. We offer a wide range of courses throughout the year, suitable for all abilities.
Read more about the Sylva Wood School.
Surrounding the buildings at the Sylva Wood Centre we've planted a community orchard, complete with an apiary. Nearby is our demonstration Future Forest with tree species we hope will thrive despite climate change and increasing tree health issues. We have a new dedicated forest education area with space for local schoolchildren to learn about and enjoy woodland. At the centre of the forest is the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon House of Wessex. A network of permitted paths allows local people to enjoy walking round the site.
Business | Description | Website | |
---|---|---|---|
Ali Buchan Furniture | Ali Buchan. Bespoke furniture maker. | www.alibuchan.com | |
Anthony Dain | Anthony Dain. Bespoke furniture and cabinet makers. | www.anthonydain.co.uk | |
AWR Woodwork | Alec Roberts. Carpentry, joinery and furniture maker | awrwoodwork@gmail.com | |
Chris Boreham Bespoke Woodwork | Chris Boreham. Furniture business originally supported under our Start-Up facilities. | www.chrisboreham.co.uk | |
Classic Watercraft | Gareth Lewis. Custom boat building and restoration. | www.classicwatercraft.co.uk | |
Colin Henwood | Colin Henwood. Builder of wooden boats: restoration and rebuilds. | www.colinhenwood.com | |
Face North Forestry | Nick Keighley. Professional forestry contractor offering low impact management of the rural environment, plus mobile sawmill and firewood processing. | www.facenorthforestry.co.uk | |
Illingworth Designs | Richard Illingworth. Furniture maker. | www.illingworthdesigns.co.uk | |
Julian Angus | Julian Angus. Carpentry and fitted joinery. Education workshops for young people. | www.julianangus.com | |
Leatham Creative Woodwork | David Leatham. Furniture, Woodwork, Art and Design | www.leathamcreativewoodwork.co.uk | |
LulaJames | Andrew Joye & Daisy Brunsdon. Bespoke furniture and small craft objects | www.lulajames.co.uk | |
Mary’s Chairs | Mary Blaxland. Furniture restoration and upholstery, also offering tuition and creative workshops. | www.maryschairs.co.uk | |
The Microfactory | Daniel Bruce. Design, manufacture, management and maintenance consultancy. | www.themicrofactory.org | |
Neil Scott Furniture | Neil Scott. Bespoke furniture maker | www.neilscottfurniture.com | |
Oxford Oak | Rodas Irving. Outdoor furniture and pergolas using home-grown oak. | www.oxfordoak.co.uk | |
Pegg Furniture | Michael Buick. Furniture designer and manufacturer | www.peggfurniture.co.uk | |
Simon Clements Carving | Wood carving and sculpture, also offering training courses. Simon Clements |
We offer dedicated incubation facilities at the Sylva Wood Centre which suit business start-up and serious hobbyists. We operate a 'hot-benching' scheme available offering weekly rental in a communal space, with access to a well-equipped machinery workshop.
We offer rental units of varying sizes for established wood-related businesses.
Contact us to discuss your requirements or arrange a visit.