Biography

“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind”
JOHANNES BRAHMS

We are passionate about what we make and our mission is to produce unusual, individually designed gates and garden architecture that are striking and elegant. Every piece is hand crafted using traditional skills and knowledge passed down through the generations – our clients immediately feel and see the difference from standard mass-produced gates and garden structures with our attention to detail being second to none.

The Gate Gallery is part of the Duncombe Group, which has a rich heritage in expert craftsmanship stretching back to the late 1800s.  Originally part of Duncombe Park Estate, we have played an important role in the rural town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire ever since. We are extremely proud of our history as well as our ability to continue a time-honoured craft.

We are a member of York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmanship and an alumni of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses.

Meet the team who design and handcraft each of our pieces and have helped to build our reputation as a leading manufacturer of wooden gates over the years, due to their attention to detail, an eye for proportions, their uncompromising attitude to craftsmanship and because they care

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Emma Woods Gate Gallery

Emma Woods MBE

Owner

Emma combines her passion for historical design and craftsmanship with her extensive experience in the art world.

Having studied antiques at Leeds University, followed by an MA at the Royal College of Art and Victoria and Albert Museum, Emma specialised in antique silver. She worked for a Bond Street antiques dealer before moving to the Royal Collection to inventory the Queen’s silver collection.

She loved researching the decorative arts and spent many an hour at the National Art Library in the V & A Museum – something that has inspired many of our gate designs today.

After moving to Yorkshire, Emma started working with timber in 2003.  For her work within the rural business community, Emma was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by Yorkshire Rural Awards and received an MBE for services to rural business and skills in North Yorkshire.

Chris Storey

Chris Storey 

Manager

Chris Storey, the manager, is the second generation to work in the business, while his daughter Angela Collier has also followed on the tradition.

Chris has vast experience and knowledge of forestry and sawmilling having spent most of his life working with timber – starting from a young age in his school holidays aged 8! He is particularly knowledgeable on the different timber species and their properties, allowing us to source the right timber for each bespoke item.

As manager, Chris is in charge of purchasing the timber to ensure the consistent quality of the wood we use. He will often inspect the softwood timber in the forests after it has been cut to guarantee the quality we are renowned for.

Hammering a dowel into a gate

Edward Garbutt 

 Craftsman  

Edward has over 30 years’ experience, having joined our team as a teenager. He is highly proficient in the traditional techniques of gate joinery.

With incredible attention to detail and an eye for proportions, Edward is a perfectionist. He prides himself on his extensive knowledge of timber and its properties, including how the timber will move and change once cut and the best ways to construct a gate.

Mortising a gate

Steve Shepherd 

Craftsman

Steve has been crafting timber from the age of 16, when he first started working for the business, and combines his passion of traditional joinery with his love of creating unique and bespoke products.

He owned his own business making unusual wooden furniture to his own designs and uses this expertise to make our gates, fencing and oak framed gazebos. He is always open to innovative ideas and relishes the challenge of making bespoke products to new designs.

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Evie Frankland
Customer Service
Angela Collier
Customer Service