If making traditional beds in one of the most scenic parts of East Anglia seems like an exercise in nostalgia, the reality couldn’t be more different. For Amanda Oldfield, her husband, Stephen, and their two sons, Jack and Harry, it has been a journey that has involved innovating at every stage in the evolution of their much-loved, highly successful business: The Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Company.
At their workshop in the pretty hamlet of Wolferton, on the Sandringham estate, they make iconic British wrought-iron beds by hand and a range of mattresses that include both plant-based options and — now — others that are handmade from wool sourced from the organic pastures of the nearby Sandringham estate.
‘For many years, I have been puzzled by mattress manufacturers looking overseas to source their wool when this country has an abundance of fleece,’ says Mrs Oldfield.
The family uses traditional methods of manufacture and locally sourced materials from East Anglia and beyond to make their wrought-iron beds, which come with a lifetime guarantee.
Among many other things, they have demonstrated that it’s possible to create a thriving business based in the UK, making high quality beds and mattresses almost entirely from locally sourced materials. It’s an achievement that has been recognised with a Royal Warrant.
‘When we founded the Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co, authenticity and transparency was central to our ethos,’ Mrs Oldfield says. ‘By sourcing locally, being close to our suppliers, using raw materials from within the British Isles, we can focus on quality and ensure the miles travelled are kept to a minimum.’
It’s a business that demonstrates the exciting possibilities of thinking big and staying small.
For further information, please telephone 01485 542516 or visit www.wroughtironandbrassbed.co.uk
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