This fine oak furniture has been made by Nigel Griffiths since 1975.
Rupert Griffiths, Nigel's father, initially supplied this oak furniture to Cavendish House of Bath, Kendal Milne of Manchester and Harrods, just after the war. Manufactured in the traditional way, without production lines or spray booths, the advent of mass production soon meant these labour intensive products no longer suited retail outlets catering for the mass market, so Rupert began selling directly to the public in 1963.
QUALITY
Every item is hand-made from quarter-sawn British oak by an individual craftsman. This includes the backs of the furniture, the drawer bottoms, ie every part of every item of furniture. The dovetails are hand cut and all the planing, sanding, carving, staining and polishing are done by hand.
Traditional methods produce better and stronger furniture as demanded by those generations before our own throw away society. Mortise and tenon joints are stronger than glue blocks. Joints cut and fitted by hand do not come apart.
QUARTER SAWN OAK
Old oak furniture is considered beautiful mainly because British oak is so beautifully grained and this contrasts markedly with the plain imported oak now available in the shops. The typical ray grain is enhanced by sawing the timber in quarters like a Victoria sponge cake, rather than through the full width of the logs.
By 2005 the major UK timber yards had all ceased to supply timber cut in the quarter sawn manner as they said that Nigel Griffiths was the only remaining furniture maker ordering it. Nearly all UK timber yards now only stock imported oak, often delivered to them already cut into planks.
In 2006 one major UK timber supplier agreed to include in their annual timber order from the UK forestry suppliers, sufficient oak logs to supply the annual timber needs at the Cheese Factory. The amount of oak which will be required each year has therefore to be estimated in the previous autumn and ordered then, to allow time for the trees to be selected, cut in the winter, quarter sawn, air dried and finished in kilns to ensure that the moisture content of the wood will be low enough that central heating will not distort doors or drawers.
CHOICE
In the showrooms there is a selection of the wide range of standard items made on the premises and because all the furniture is made individually, standard designs can be altered to individual tastes or sizes and specially commissioned items can be made. The quality of the furniture is obvious, not just in the construction detailed above, but in the hand cut details and the glow of waxed oak, not timber encased in a plastic film.
LOCATION
The Old Cheese Factory is located in the heart of rural Derbyshire on the edge of the Peak District National Park, close to Chatsworth and Haddon Hall and visitors can see the furniture being made. There are many beautiful places to stay like Hassop Hall or Riber Hall and many small hospitable guest houses near by.
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