Contact
Cwmrhos Cottage,
Cwmdu,
Crickhowell,
Powys, NP8 1RT
Phone
07853 317053*/01874 730585
*due to rural location I don't always receive voicemails straight away, so try calling both numbers or email me.
I work from my home in Cwmdu near Crickhowell, which has good road links from Cardiff and Bristol, taking just over an hour by car. I can meet rail users, if required, in Abergavenny.
Due to a large volume of interest in my bows I have decided to focus exclusively on making rather than restoration.
Unfortunately I am unable to offer a rehairing service at this time.
Directions
From Abergavenny take the A40 towards Brecon/Crickhowell. Go through Crickhowell and continue on A40 towards Brecon. 2 miles after leaving Crickhowell take the A479 right turn to Talgarth. (It says the road is closed but the workshop is before the road closure).
Continue on the A479 for 3 miles though Tretower and on to Cwmdu. Drive past the cafe and the Farmer's Arms. Leaving the village you pass the village hall on the left. After a few bends there is a green sign for Wern Farm. Turn right immediately opposite the entrance to Wern Farm (a very easy to miss right turn, which is small and a little steep).
We are 400m from the main road. Past the barn conversion and tight bend, up the lane , we are the next cottage on the left next to a redundant Chapel. Plenty of parking in front of the cottage.
Tim Richards
I began my working life as a violinist and teacher after having studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Yfrah Neaman and David Takeno. After 20 years of teaching and performing I decided to retrain as a luthier. My instrument making studies started with the part time course at Merton College (now South Thames College) in London with Keith Graves before joining West Dean College, Chichester for a full-time course with Shem Mackey and Ben Hebbert.
Whilst at West Dean I had the good fortune of meeting the bow maker Andrew Bellis. After learning to rehair and the beginning of bowmaking with Andrew, I realised this was the direction I wished to pursue. Since 2009 I have been solely immersed in the world of bows and bow making. I am indebted to a number of experienced and talented bow makers for their help and inspiration in pursuing this path.
I have now specialised further and my bow making is concentrated in renaissance, baroque and classical bows. My clients include professional players as well as students and in the last three years I have been privileged to fulfil two commissions for a set of 12 baroque bows for both the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2016) and the Royal Northern College of Music (2018-2019) and several bows for the Royal Academy of Music’s Early Music Department.