Winchester’s story began in Padiham, Burnley, in the heart of East Lancashire during the 1970s, a region shaped by mills, makers, and generations of quiet craft. In a small workshop with a single bench and a handful of tools, the first Winchester pieces were made by hand, one at a time, with the belief that true craft isn’t rushed, and it isn’t manufactured. It’s shaped slowly, with patience, skill, and pride. Those early days set the tone for everything we still do today. The workshop was modest, but the values were not: honesty in materials, respect for the hide, and a commitment to making furniture that would outlast the moment it was made for. What began as one maker at one bench has grown into a craft tradition that continues to guide every Winchester piece, from the first cut of leather to the final hand‑rubbed finish. This is where our story took root. And it’s where our belief in real British craft was born.

Every Winchester begins with a hardwood frame, the unseen foundation that determines the strength, stability, and lifespan of the piece. Long before the leather is coloured or the buttons are set, the frame is built by hand, using traditional methods that have shaped British furniture for generations. Each joint is glued, screwed, and dowelled, not because it’s quick, but because it’s right. This is the kind of construction you feel rather than see: the reassuring weight when you sit, the silence when you move, the knowledge that the piece will hold its shape for decades. Hardwood framing is slow work. It demands accuracy, patience, and a respect for the material. But it’s also where the soul of a Winchester begins, in the part you never see, but the part that matters most. Built by hand. Built with intention. Built to last a lifetime.

The journey begins with the hide. In the tanning drums, raw leather is transformed through time, movement, and traditional methods, emerging as wet‑blue, the purest, most honest state of the hide. This is where every Winchester piece truly begins. From wet‑blue, we take the leather into the workshop and hand‑colour it ourselves, building depth and character one layer at a time. It’s slower, but it gives every Chesterfield its soul, a finish that grows richer with age and carries the quiet truth of how it was made.

Crust leather is the hide in its purest finished state, tanned, dried, and ready for hand‑colouring. At this stage, nothing is hidden. The natural grain, markings, and character of the leather are fully revealed, allowing us to work with the material exactly as it is. Crust is the point where the hide stops being raw and starts becoming a Winchester piece. From here, every layer of colour, depth, and patina is built by hand in the workshop, giving each sofa its unique tone and the quiet honesty of real craft.

Togging is the traditional method of stretching hides on large wooden frames, allowing the leather to dry flat, smooth, and under perfect tension. At this stage, the hide is carefully pulled and secured by hand, preserving its natural grain while preventing unwanted creases or distortion. It’s a quiet, meticulous process, one of those essential steps that most people never see, but every Winchester piece depends on. By the time the hide leaves the togging frame, it’s ready for finishing, colouring, and the slow craft that gives each sofa its character.

Each hide is hand‑dyed in the workshop using a layered colouring method that allows the leather to absorb pigment gradually and evenly. Working from crust leather, the surface is first prepared to open the pores, ensuring the dye penetrates the fibre structure rather than sitting on top like a factory coating. Colour is applied in multiple passes, using sponges and cloths to work the pigment into the grain. Between each layer, the hide is allowed to rest, letting the fibres settle and the tone develop naturally. This slow build creates depth, variation, and movement across the surface, the hallmarks of traditionally finished leather. Because the dye is absorbed rather than sprayed, the natural markings, grain patterns, and character of the hide remain visible. No two hides take colour in exactly the same way, which is why every Winchester piece carries its own unique tone and patina. This is finishing in its truest form: controlled by hand, guided by experience, and shaped by the material itself.

Every Winchester begins with an order, the moment a customer’s choice becomes a craft in motion. From that point, the workshop prepares: the hide is selected, the frame is readied, and the materials are gathered with the same care that has shaped our pieces for generations. Nothing is pre‑made or waiting on a shelf. Each sofa starts its life the moment it is commissioned, moving through the workshop step by step, guided by the hands of the people who build it. This is where the making truly begins: quietly, deliberately, and with the intention that every Winchester carries from its first cut to its final polish

Every hide is inspected by hand in the workshop, assessed for grain structure, fibre density, and natural markings. We look for integrity in the surface, the kind of character that will take colour evenly, age beautifully, and remain stable under tension. Scars, growth marks, and variations are evaluated individually, not rejected automatically; what matters is the strength and honesty of the hide, not cosmetic perfection. Only the finest hides make it into a Winchester frame. Each one is chosen for its durability, its natural grain, and its ability to respond to traditional finishing methods. This is selection based on craft, not convenience, the quiet, meticulous work that ensures every Winchester piece begins with the right material.

Each hide is cut by hand in the workshop, with the cutter mapping every panel around the natural grain, fibre direction, and character of the leather. Using traditional knives and patterns, the hide is laid out flat and inspected for strength, stretch, and any natural markings that should be highlighted or avoided. Because leather isn’t uniform like fabric, every panel must be positioned individually. Areas that will take tension — such as arms, seats, and buttoned sections, are cut from the strongest parts of the hide, while more flexible areas are reserved for curves and pleats. This ensures both durability and a clean, tailored finish once upholstered. Hand cutting allows the craftsman to follow the hide rather than force it, shaping each panel with precision to guarantee a perfect fit and a flawless final appearance