Manor Wood reviews

Debbie reviewed: Craft Your Own Carving Bench or Chopping Block

"My husband and I spent an amazing day doing woodwork with Matt. We are absolute beginners and Matt explained all the tools and basics to us. We came away with great work benches and the confidence to continue practicing at home. "

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Debbie, thanks for the lovely review! Glad you enjoyed the day, hope to have you at Manor Wood again soon. Matt"

Darren Male reviewed: Craft Your Own Longbow: One To One Woodworking Class

"A great day with a great instructor in a beautiful woodland. Far more to making a longbow than I thought, with the resulting bow great to fire. Thanks Matt & Emma, hope to see you again on a future course."

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Darren, thanks for the great review! It was lovely to have you at Manor Wood again, hope to see you soon. Emma"

Celia Alden reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"Brilliant. We throughly enjoyed our experience with Matt and our 10 year grandson was extremely proud of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ sword he whittled. "

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Celia, thank you for the lovely review! Glad you enjoyed the session, hope to see you at Manor Wood again soon. Matt"

Steve & Reece reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"Excellent course, a delayed Christmas present from my son. Great setting in the woods, good instruction throughout, all relaxed and friendly, would recommend. "

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Steve, thank you for the lovely review! Hope to see you at Manor Wood again soon. Matt"

Erin, Philie, Sara + Jemma reviewed: Forest School CPD - Rope Skills

"This was a fantastic learning experience and both Emma and Matt were so friendly and welcoming. We learnt a lot of new skills to help us in our practice and really enjoyed that we could ask questions on areas specific to our forest school needs. A very relaxing day in a beautiful woodland. Thank you "

Clare reviewed: Forest School CPD - Rope Skills

"I had a great day and learnt many new knots and about different ropes and the best ones to use.. the woods where it was held was amazing… great instruction with a chance to try and practice. It was great as we were also asked if there was anything specific we wanted to learn and we were shown for our own setting.. I really enjoyed learning how to set up a zip line and how this can be adapted .. I will definitely be booking on another course run here.."

Emma reviewed: Forest School CPD - Rope Skills

"Great informative course in a relaxing environment. Learnt new knots and applications for them in a beautiful setting."

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Emma, thank you for your lovely review. I am glad you enjoyed the day, it was great to have you at Manor Wood! Matt"

Tim reviewed: Craft Your Own Longbow: One To One Woodworking Class

"I did the long bow making course in March, as I've always been interested in wood working and wanted something to get my teeth into. Though I've done a bit of archery before, I don't do it often, so for me this was more about understanding the technique and giving something new a go. The day was exceptional, Matt was a great teacher and supportive throughout, helping me to fix my mistakes and give great hints and tips. At the end, we had time to fire a few arrows, which was great fun and proved I'd made something that worked! I'd thoroughly recommend to anyone looking to try something a little bit different. "

Clair Meager reviewed: Forest School CPD - Wet Weather Fires and Group Shelters

"Wonderful course - friendly, informative and relaxed. Beautiful environment. I would recommend this course to anyone who needs a refresher or wants to learn some great tips. Thank you Emma and Matt "

Zoë Rebecca reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"My husband and I came along to the wood whittling course and loved it. Taking place in the woodland, there was a calm and relaxing atmosphere and spaces on each course are limited to ensure intimacy which reflects this. This also enabled Matt and Emma to be able to attend to the group and help us when needed. You could make something from the examples on the table or bring your own idea which they were open to support with. We came to the course as complete novices and left having ordered our own whittling knives and gloves to try at home, thank you so much! "

Darren Male reviewed: Introduction to Green Woodworking

"Matt is an experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly instructor, with the course been run in his beautiful woodland. I made a greenwood mallet, spatula, and tea spoon, and learnt about the tools, materials, and safety. Will be booking on his future courses on other subjects."

Ed Rogers reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"Really can’t recommend this course enough. Matt and Emma were wonderful hosts and teachers. Their woodland is so peaceful and away from traffic and noise. First time I’ve really relaxed in quite a while. The 2 and a half hours flew by and I came away with a mushroom that I was proud of. Both Matt and Emma gave everyone support and I know everyone was raving about it when we were walking back to the cars. I’ve no doubts I will be back soon for more courses"

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Ed, thank you for the lovely review. It was great to have you at Manor wood and glad you enjoyed the whittling workshop! Hope to see you again soon. Emma"

Sophie Davis reviewed: Spoon Carving at Manor Wood

"Such a fantastic course in an amazing setting. I would highly recommend."

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Sophie, thanks for the review! Was lovely to have you at the course and glad you enjoyed it. Matt"

Conor reviewed: Axe Skills Workshop

"Myself and my partner went for her 30th, we had loads of fun and learned a bunch of new skills. The venue is idyllic, the staff are both knowledgeable and friendly and the course strikes the right balance between fun and challenging. I would recommend this course to anyone looking to spend more time outdoors. "

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Conor, thank you for your lovely review. We're glad you enjoyed the course and hope to see you at Manor Wood again soon! Emma"

Dorka reviewed: Forest School CPD - Wet Weather Fires and Group Shelters

"A really fun and informative day spent in the beautiful Manor Woods. Thank you Matt for sharing all your knowledge and Emma for taking care of us with unlimited cups of tea and cake. Highly recommended!"

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Dorka, thank you for your review! It was great to have you at Manor Wood and hope to see you again soon. Emma"

Mel Walsh reviewed: Forest School CPD - Wet Weather Fires and Group Shelters

"An excellent course, full of very useful tips and skills. Hosted by a very affable pair in a great location."

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Mel, thank you for your lovely review. We're glad you enjoyed the day and hope to see you again soon! Emma"

John Kazer reviewed: Spoon Carving at Manor Wood

"A great day - good company and conversation plus I learnt a lot. Was quite happy with my first efforts as well!"

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi John, thank you for your review. I'm glad you enjoyed the course, hope to see you at Manor Wood in the future! Matt"

Andy Taylor reviewed: Spoon Carving at Manor Wood

"I recently had the pleasure of attending a Spoon Carving course with Matt at Manor Wood, and I must say it was an unforgettable experience. Matt's expertise in using an axe for carving and his mastery of the spoon knife were absolutely impressive. His knowledge and passion for the craft were evident from the start, making the learning process enjoyable and engaging. The course was well-structured, allowing us to progress at a comfortable pace. Matt was patient and attentive, providing individual guidance and support whenever needed. He shared invaluable tips and techniques, ensuring that I truly understood the art of spoon carving. Beyond the technical aspect, Matt created a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the workshop. By the end of the course, I had not only carved a beautiful spoon but also gained a newfound confidence in using an axe and spoon knife. Matt's passion and expertise were truly inspiring, and I left with a sense of accomplishment that I will cherish. I highly recommend Matt's Spoon Carving course at Manor Wood to anyone interested in learning this traditional craft. You'll not only gain valuable skills but also enjoy a fun and fulfilling experience under his guidance. Thank you, Matt, for an incredible day of learning and laughter!"

Anthony Ridge reviewed: Axe Skills Workshop

"Loved this course. Even on a drizzly day in Autumn. Matt and Emma had a nice fire going for when we arrived and we had a brilliant day exploring the wood and learning some great skills including fire lighting in wet weather and creating a pot stand from gathered materials. "

Douglas Dawson reviewed: Spoon Carving at Manor Wood

"I had good day learning the art of spoon carving at Manor wood. For myself it was even better being the only student. I took along a lump of wood destined for the fire and Matt looked at it and said I should get 2 spoons out of it. I am not used to using an axe to cut wood but Matt soon had me working without any trouble. The knives I found it difficult as I have been using standard woodworking tools since I was at school. At the end of the day I think we both learned something. ."

David reviewed: Introduction to Green Woodworking

"Five friends and I had a great day at this course. Matt and Emma were very warm and welcoming and the woodlands are beautiful. Teaching was great and we all learned a lot, many of us are now considering getting our own kit to get more into green woodworking as a hobby!"

Manor Wood responded:

"Thank your for your lovely review David. We are glad you all enjoyed the Introduction to Green Woodworking course, It was lovely to meet you all, hope to see you at Manor Wood again. Emma"

Max and AK reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"We loved it!!!!! Matt was a sweetheart and his woodland is gorgeous. Base camp was beautiful and smelled wonderful. The cake and tea was delicious! The whittling was so much fun!!! Matt is a fantastic instructor. We learned a lot about different techniques and where to get good whittling knifes if we wanted to continue at home. Which we do because it was amazeballs! So much fun! Thank you Matt and Emma"

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Max and AK, thank you for your lovely review. I am glad you both enjoyed the session and learning how to whittle. Hope to see you again soon! Matt"

Penny reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"What more can you ask for? My teenage son and myself learnt a new skill, spending a few hours surrounded by nature. Matt, our instructor, was very good at teaching the techniques needed, and was patient and adaptable to each of the group's ages, skills and ideas. He kept us topped up with cake and hot drinks, and even provided us with some pieces of wood to practice at home. We would love to build on our skills by attending more courses here in the future. "

Emily reviewed: Introduction to Green Woodworking

"I took part in the Introduction to Woodworking course and it was brilliant, I would definitely recommend! Matt was very knowledgeable, I learnt a lot and had great fun along the way! I'll definitely be visiting again!"

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Emily, thank you for your review! We're glad you enjoyed the day learning about green woodworking. We hope to see you again soon! Matt"

Jamie reviewed: Introduction to Green Woodworking

"Me and my Dad did the Introduction to Green Woodworking and absolutely loved it! By the end of the day I had made a mullet and spatula. A Saturday well spent. Matt is super knowledgeable and really friendly. Emma was lovely, even went to the effort of making homemade muffins. I would 100% recommend and I can't wait to do some more courses 🤞"

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Jamie, thank you for your lovely review. We're pleased you enjoyed the day, we hope to see you again soon! Emma"