Woodcraft UK, Handcrafted Wooden Garden Furniture

When does a Woodcraft bench stop being simply one of our designs and become your bench?

Perhaps it's when we engrave a name into the timber, add a symbol, family crest or logo, change the dimensions or adapt the design to fit a particular location.

Over the years we've made countless variations on our established designs – as well as completely bespoke pieces created for individual customers and spaces.

Our latest post looks at some of the ways a handcrafted bench can be made that little bit more personal.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/making-it-personal-when-a-bench-becomes-your-bench

Bespoke & Personalised Wooden Benches | Woodcraft UK Make a Woodcraft bench your own with bespoke sizes, engraving, plaques, symbols, logos, curved designs and custom adaptations handcrafted in Yorkshire.

From York to Beverley, Scarborough to Helmsley… our bench collection has a distinctly Yorkshire flavour.

And that's no coincidence.

Many of our designs were named after places in our home county – names that have since travelled all over Britain and beyond on furniture handcrafted here in East Yorkshire.

Our latest post takes a look at the story behind the names. See website

Yorkshire Made Wooden Benches | Woodcraft UK Discover why so many Woodcraft benches carry Yorkshire names, from the flagship York and Beverley to Scarborough, Helmsley, Staxton and Wykeham.

Another York bench finds its place in East Park

Mike was back at one of our most familiar Hull locations recently to install this new 6ft York memorial bench beside the boating lake.

Over the years, many Woodcraft benches have found homes around East Park. Freshly installed, this one has the lovely warm tones of new timber, ready to gradually mellow and weather naturally as the years and seasons pass.

Another bench out of the workshop and into the landscape it was made for.

View more:

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/another-york-memorial-bench-east-park-hull

Some of these benches have been sitting here for around 35 years.

A walk around Chanterlands Crematorium and Northern Cemetery in Hull revealed more than sixty Woodcraft benches throughout the grounds, many of them more than two decades old.

They don't look like new benches anymore – and that's precisely what makes them interesting.

Some have been treated and preserved, while others have been allowed to weather naturally, their timber turning silver-grey and becoming home to moss and lichen. But perhaps the most touching thing is how many are still surrounded by fresh flowers, photographs, notes and keepsakes left by families.

The timber has aged. The memories haven't.

We'll be taking a closer look at some of these remarkable old friends in our latest post.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/memorial-benches-chanterlands-crematorium-36-years-on

Some products quietly become part of everyday life.

These handcrafted timber community notice boards were installed in Hedon several years ago and continue to serve residents every single day, displaying local events, council notices and community information.

From medieval market town to modern community, it's rewarding to see quality craftsmanship still doing exactly what it was designed to do years later.

Sometimes the best compliment is that people simply expect it to be there.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/notice-boards-still-quietly-serving-the-community

A new 6ft York bench has been installed at Hedon Road Cemetery in Hull.

Although commissioned by a private customer, the location itself has a fascinating history. Hedon Road Cemetery has served the city since the 1870s and is also home to Commonwealth War Graves Commission burials from both World Wars.

Like the two York benches recently supplied to Souda Bay War Cemetery in Crete, this latest bench has found its place in surroundings where people naturally pause, reflect and remember.

This particular bench also carries a beautifully engraved Eye of Horus — a timeless symbol associated with protection, healing and remembrance.

It's another example of how a handcrafted bench can quietly become part of people's stories for generations to come.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/another-woodcraft-bench-finds-its-home-at-hedon-road-cemetery

Some places become part of a person's story.

A favourite walk.
A peaceful view across the water.
A place where memories are made.

This handcrafted York memorial bench has been installed in Hull's East Park in loving memory of David Patrick Sullivan (1979–2025).

Over the years, Woodcraft has supplied many memorial benches throughout East Park, each one telling a unique story. Together, they have quietly become part of the park itself, offering somewhere to pause, reflect and simply enjoy the surroundings.

It is always a privilege to create a lasting tribute that will be used and appreciated for generations to come.

Read the full story https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/some-places-become-part-of-a-persons-story?token=0uL8IYkAK4kYJLvXmnVGiMLi9mwC9aix

Remembering Artist Jill Atley

Some projects leave the workshop and become part of everyday life. Others become part of someone's legacy.

Back in 2019, Woodcraft was privileged to build a York bench for East Yorkshire sculptor Jill Atley's remarkable bronze figure, Arthur. Following Jill's passing in 2020, Arthur found his permanent home outside the Queen's Centre at Castle Hill Hospital, where Jill herself received treatment.

Today, patients, families and visitors continue to sit beside Arthur, share conversations and enjoy moments of reflection on the very same Woodcraft bench.

It's a story about art, kindness, craftsmanship and a remarkable woman whose legacy continues to comfort people every day.

Read the full story on our website.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/arthur-lives-on-remembering-sculptor-jill-atley

A New Bespoke Pergola Begins...

Every bespoke project starts with a blank workshop floor, careful measurements and a great deal of craftsmanship.

This week the team has begun work on a completely bespoke timber pergola for a private customer in Gloucestershire. Although it's still in its early stages, the scale of the project is already becoming apparent.

Unlike off-the-shelf garden structures, every component is individually prepared and assembled to suit the customer's exact requirements. Even at this stage you can already see the precision involved, from the substantial structural timbers to the carefully formed central roof connections that will support the finished framework.

It's always satisfying watching a project take shape from a collection of individual pieces into something that will become a permanent feature of someone's garden.

There's still plenty to do before this one leaves the workshop, but we couldn't resist sharing an early glimpse.

More updates to follow as the build progresses.