Our Story

Founder and skilled woodman, Alex Moir, started life restoring hazel coppice in a local Wildlife Trust Woodland in the early 1990s. A chance meeting with a wholesaler specialising in the traditional restoration market prompted Alex to diversify into supplying cleft oak laths, for lath and plaster repairs. This market expanded and the Cleft Wood Company were selling over 100,000 feet of lath per year – their laths can be found in the Corinthian Arch at Stowe.

Then the National Trust enquired about cleft oak fencing. As the cleaving skills involved were similar to those used in lath making the answer was an easy “yes” – and the core business of today’s Cleft Wood Company slipped into place. Since that day many miles of cleft oak fencing has been made and installed around the world.

Alex and Jo Moir (Jo is in the pink) receive the Federation of Small Business Green Award

Over the years Alex has developed a skilled team of craftsmen and the company has diversified into gates and other cleft oak products. Many projects are orders from existing customers, which should be no surprise for a business whose core values continue to be trust, loyalty and honesty.