This is Jens’s arbour. He came to us from Denmark — living in London now, but his roots were the starting point. He’d built a stream through his garden and shaped a stone platform beside it, leaving a specific space for what he had in mind. A structure that felt genuinely Norse. Not a nod to Viking culture, but a real expression of it. We spent the winter on it.
The frame is air-dried oak throughout, built using traditional mortise and tenon joinery. The four posts are hand-carved with Viking knotwork running their full height. The main overhead beam carries a continuous Celtic braid. The curved brackets sweeping from post to beam echo the prow of a Viking longship, with spiral scroll ends. At the apex, two crossed swords rise above the structure. On the right-hand post, runes are carved spelling out Jens’s name in the old alphabet. At the foot of one post, a wolf’s head watches over the threshold.
The suspended swing bench — 196cm wide — hangs on heavy steel chain and seats three or four adults comfortably. Two fixed side seats are built into the base frame. The whole structure anchors into the ground on concrete pads sunk 46cm deep. Every carving pattern, every proportion, every detail was worked out between our workshop and Jens over months of collaboration. The culture is his. The craft is ours. Jens is very happy with it. Prices include VAT.
Key Features
- Handmade from air-dried oak — traditional mortise and tenon joinery throughout
- Hand-carved Viking knotwork running the full height of all four posts
- Celtic braid carved into the main overhead beam
- Longship-inspired curved brackets with spiral scroll ends
- Crossed sword finials at the apex
- Carved runes (client’s name) and wolf’s head detail at post base
- Suspended swing bench (196cm wide) on heavy steel chain
- Two fixed side seats built into the base frame
- Concrete ground anchors, 46cm deep
Dimensions
Swing bench width: 196cm
Overall frame width: approximately 300cm
Height to beam: approximately 240cm
Ground anchors: 46cm deep
Dimensions are fully customisable to suit your garden and space.
Your Version
We can design a Viking or Celtic garden arbour around your garden, your story, and your own ideas. The carving motifs, the scale, the Norse or Celtic details — everything is open. This is a major structural commission and typically takes approximately three months from design sign-off. Lead time can be discussed at enquiry stage. Get in touch to start the conversation.
