At Free Range Designs, we spend most of our days carving stories into wood — chairs that spark imagination, benches that celebrate loved ones, and arches that invite people into another world.
This winter, we had the joy of creating one of our most detailed pieces yet: a Fantasy Carved Woodland Arch, commissioned by the National Trust property Kingston Lacy in Dorset for their Lapland Christmas experience.
This wasn’t just an archway.
It became a gateway into a magical woodland full of wildlife, curiosity, and warm storytelling charm.
🪵 The Beginning: A Message from Kingston Lacy
In early autumn, we received a lovely message from Sarah Dean, Visitor Operations and Experience Manager at Kingston Lacy, asking if we could create a carved archway to form part of their Christmas trail.
They were hoping for something whimsical, woodland-themed, and full of native wildlife — a centrepiece that children and families would walk through on their way into the festive experience.
Their request included a beautiful list of animals:
- Hare
- Badger
- Fox
- Tawny Owl
- Deer
- Squirrels
- Birds
- And even a little mouse (so long as it wasn’t central!)
And across the top:
“Kingston Lacy” carved in bold, playful lettering.
We knew immediately that this was going to be something special.
🌲 Designing a Woodland World in Timber
Every arch we make begins with drawings, rough sketches, and a good walk around the workshop timber stacks.
This one needed to feel alive — full of movement and depth — so we layered its carvings like a woodland hedgerow:
- sweeping branches
- clusters of oak and beech leaves
- hand-carved animals peeking out from behind the foliage
- birds swooping across the arch
- tiny details hidden for children to discover
- Every carving was shaped by hand, sanded smooth, and then painted in subtle, natural tones that highlight the character of the wood without hiding it.
The result?
A rich, textural, storybook world that wraps entirely around the arch.
🦊 Bringing the Animals to Life
One of the most enjoyable parts of the process was carving the animals.
The fox curls around the base as if stepping out of the leaves.
The owl w
atches quietly from its perch.
A squirrel sits proudly on top of the arch, surveying the scene.
The magpie, frozen mid-flight, adds a sense of movement and mischief.
Each creature is built up from layered, shaped pieces of timber — a technique we developed to give our carvings a three-dimensional feel without losing the warmth of natural wood.
✨ A Centrepiece for a Magical Christmas
Once complete, the arch stood in the workshop glowing with colour, texture, character, and imagination.
It’s always a wonderful moment when a bespoke piece is ready to leave us — part pride, part relief, part excitement for its new home.
For Kingston Lacy, the arch now forms a key entrance to their Lapland trail, inviting children and families into a festive world of woodland creatures, storytelling moments, and Christmas wonder.
We’re proud to think of thousands of visitors passing beneath it this winter.
🛠 A One-of-a-Kind Commission
This arch was created as a bespoke commission for Kingston Lacy, but we now offer similar Fantasy Carved Woodland Arches made to order.
Each one can be customised with:
- your own choice of animals
- bespoke lettering or names
- shapes and motifs linked to your site
- painted or natural finishes
- size and height tailored to fit your space
- They’re perfect for schools, National Trust properties, woodland trails, event entrances, or any place that would benefit from a touch of natural magic.
💬 Thinking About Your Own Arch?
If you’d like to commission a bespoke carved arch for your trail, event, garden or visitor attraction, we’d love to hear from you.
You can explore the product here:
Fantasy Carved Woodland Arch – Free Range Designs
Every piece we make tells a story — let’s carve yours next.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.