For five decades of refurbishment and restoration in various forms including historic and listed buildings, vintage cars and classic river boats we are proud to have British Benches, a family run business that identifies, sources and in the main, restores British cast iron and wrought iron garden benches from our workshop on the River Thames, close to Oxford.
All the benches we source are old classics, from mid to late 19th Century, Victorian, Edwardian and later, early 20th Century benches that either need a fresh coat of paint or a full restoration. Our benches, all of which boast a sturdy British design and character will provide an antique statement for your garden. Many of them were often used on long pier promenades, public parks and railway stations by the Victorians. Others were in simple cottage gardens.
Occasionally, the odd antique piece may be left in its current state but always put up for sale in good condition. We have a great selection of benches and can supply them for suburban households, and city homes right through to country houses and historic estates. We have original benches from great foundries like Coalbrookdale, Carron and Boulton and Paul that we can fully restore or keep in their original state complete with rust and moss. All the benches are antique and most are heavy due to the quality of the iron used one hundred years ago.
They are not reproduction, not lightweight modern alloy and not manufactured in quantity but are all individual, old original garden seats, made in Britain, that have been saved and refurbished. Our restoration service generally consists of stripping all loose material, carrying out any necessary repairs to the bench end supports, preparing the metal and hand painting three coats of special metal paint to a specific RAL colour. Seating slats are always hardwood and made from Sapele, reclaimed English Oak and European Oak from sustainable sources, all of which would last a generation or two if looked after. Sometimes, the hardwood is left with a square arris with a slight edge taken off but generally the slats are chamfered through the router. They are then finished with three coats of Danish oil and fixed with stainless steel carriage bolts. Some of our benches have survived for more than four generations and now they are restored they will again last lifetimes. The restored benches are perfect for private city space gardens to parkland and larger landscaped areas.
Frequently asked questions
What is your returns policy?
Any bench may be returned at the customer's expense if the details are not in accordance with those described on the sales information. Our goal is for every customer to be totally satisfied with their purchase. If this isn't the case, let us know and we will do our best to work with you to make it right. We are unable to accept returns on certain benches but these will be marked before purchase.
When will I receive my order?
We will work quickly to ship your order as soon as possible but certainly within 7-10 days. Once your order is shipped you will receive an email with further information. Delivery times will vary depending on your location. Collection can be carried out on most days including weekends providing you contact us by email giving 48 hours notice of the intention to collect your bench.
Where are your benches made?
All our benches have originally been manufactured in Britain and have subsequently been restored here using materials that have been carefully selected for quality and fair value.
How much does shipping cost?
We offer free collection on all of our benches. Shipping is calculated at checkout and will depend on your location. For distances over 100 miles please contact us for a bespoke cost. Please note that delivery is carried out by a one man operation and it is essential that the purchaser or their agent is present to take delivery which is kerbside only.