When Anselm Fraser set up the school in 1985 he was determined to bring the steading back to life.

 

Where there were once 30 farm hands working on the fertile East Lothian soil, Anselm wanted 30 men and women dedicated to the art of furniture making.

 

And he wanted the school to be the best in the world. A school where students could learn how to be first class craftsmen and women, inspired by the work of Thomas Chippendale and other great furniture designers.

 

He has succeeded because his vision is rooted in the timeless values of expert tuition and sustainability.

 

A book can teach the basics of woodworking, such as how to hold a chisel but it cannot show you the right amount of pressure to apply to achieve the best finish.

A website can display a range of veneers, but it cannot teach you how to obtain a perfect colour match.

 

No book, or website, can replicate the atmosphere of the school’s workshops where up to 20 students, each with their own workbench, learn from each other as well as their tutors.

 

The school promotes the use of locally sourced and sustainable materials, and will provide oak, ash, elm, spalted beech, yew and sycamore. If a students wishes to use other timbers he or she will be charged accordingly.

 

Local farmers supply sufficient hardwood trees to keep the school in plentiful supply and all exotic woods and veneers are recycled.

 

Anselm and his staff have built a supportive, sustainable
community that nurtures talent and celebrates creativity.