Artisawn was founded to provide traditional timber sash windows made properly — combining traditional joinery methods with modern double glazing.
A Specialist Business — Not a Double Glazing Company
There is an important distinction between what Artisawn does and what most window companies do. We are joiners, not just window installers. Every window we fit is one we have made ourselves, in our own workshop, from raw timber. We do not buy in frames from a manufacturer and fit them — we design, machine, assemble and install each window as a single continuous process.
This matters because a box sash window is a precision piece of joinery. The sashes need to be exactly the right weight for the box, balanced against correctly sized weights, running in channels that are planed and fitted to the right tolerance. Get any of that wrong and the window will stick, rattle, drop or refuse to stay open. Get it right and it will operate smoothly and quietly for decades without adjustment.
We get it right because we have been doing this for over 20 years and because we make every window ourselves. There is no factory, no production line and no subcontracted manufacturing. When you call Artisawn, you speak to the person who will survey your windows, make them and fit them.
Our Somerset Workshop
We are based at Pylle, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset — well placed to serve the whole of Somerset, Bath and Bristol from a single workshop. Everything we make is made here: box frames, sashes, glazing bars, sills, staff beads, parting beads — every component of every window.
Working from a single workshop gives us complete control over quality and lead times. We are not dependent on external suppliers for manufactured components, and we are not trying to coordinate multiple teams across different sites. When your windows are in production, we know exactly where they are and exactly when they will be ready.
We operate with a small, experienced team. Jobs are not passed between departments or handed to different crews at different stages. The same people who survey your property are involved in manufacturing and installation — which means nothing gets lost in translation and every decision made on site is informed by a thorough understanding of how your windows were made.
What We Do
Our work covers the full range of timber sash window services for period and listed properties:
New box frame sash windows — complete assemblies handmade to match your property's proportions and period
Replacement double glazed sashes for existing box frames — retaining original frames while upgrading glazing and draught performance
Replacing uPVC sash windows with timber — removing inappropriate replacements and restoring correct proportions
Sash window repairs and overhauls — timber splice repairs, sash cord replacement, pulley servicing and full draught proofing
Listed building and conservation area restoration — conservation-led repair and sympathetic replacement using traditional methods
Single to double glazed upgrades — slimline double glazed units fitted to existing sashes or new double glazed sashes for original boxes
We work on Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian properties across Somerset, Bath and Bristol. We also carry out work for trade clients — architects, property developers and restoration contractors who need a reliable specialist joinery supplier for period property projects.
Our Approach — Repair First
We are not in the business of selling windows people do not need. When we survey a property, we assess honestly whether the existing windows can be repaired and — if they can — we say so. A well-executed repair and draught proofing on an original sash window will almost always outperform a cheap replacement, costs significantly less, and retains the character and historic fabric of the building.
Where repair is not viable — due to severe structural decay, previous poor-quality work or the presence of inappropriate uPVC replacements — we manufacture new windows that are made properly and will last. Not for ten years, but for the lifetime of the building.
This approach is consistent with Historic England's guidance on the repair of traditional windows and is the position taken by conservation officers across Somerset, Bath and Bristol. It is also, in our experience, what most period property owners actually want when they take the time to understand their options.
Experience With Period Properties
Over more than 20 years we have worked on a wide range of period properties across the South West — from modest Victorian terraces in Taunton and Bridgwater to Georgian townhouses in Bath, listed farmhouses in the Somerset Levels, and fine Edwardian villas in Clifton and Redland.
We understand how period buildings are constructed and how their windows were originally made. We understand the relationship between box frame depth and sash weight, between glazing bar profile and architectural period, between lime mortar reveals and the correct way to bed a new frame. This knowledge is not something that can be acquired quickly — it comes from years of working on the buildings themselves.
We also understand the planning and conservation framework that governs window work in listed buildings and conservation areas across Somerset, BANES and Bristol City Council. We know what conservation officers are likely to accept and what they will push back on, and we design our work accordingly from the outset.
Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
A significant proportion of our work is on listed buildings and properties within conservation areas. We work across the conservation areas of Wells, Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Bruton, Bath's World Heritage Site, and Bristol's Victorian suburbs including Clifton, Redland and Cotham.
For listed building work we can provide:
Written condition reports documenting the existing state of each window
Scaled elevation drawings for planning submissions
Specification statements describing proposed materials and methods
Advice on whether proposed works are likely to require listed building consent
Liaison with conservation officers where required
We follow a repair-first philosophy that is consistent with Historic England guidance and the requirements of Somerset Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council and Bristol City Council conservation teams.
Working With Architects and Trade Clients
We work regularly with architects, heritage consultants, property developers and building contractors who need a specialist sash window supplier for period property projects. We can provide:
Window schedules and specification information for planning submissions
Technical drawings and section details
Trade pricing for recurring or volume work
Reliable lead times and programme information
A single point of contact throughout the project
If you are an architect or contractor working on a period property project in Somerset, Bath or Bristol and need a specialist joinery subcontractor, we would be happy to discuss your requirements.
"Why Artisawn?”
Small family-run workshop in Somerset
Windows handmade, not factory produced
Traditional joinery methods
Installed by the same people who make them
22+ years experience working with period properties
We are not the cheapest option and we do not try to be. What we offer is windows made properly — by people who understand the buildings they are going in, using methods that have been proven over centuries, with materials that will last. For period properties where the windows are a defining feature of the building, that is what matters.
Our 5.0 star Google rating reflects the way we work. Every enquiry is taken seriously, every survey is carried out thoroughly, and every installation is completed to the same standard we would expect in our own homes.
Where We Work
We manufacture and install timber sash windows across:
Somerset — Wells, Glastonbury, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Bruton, Castle Cary, Somerton, Langport, Taunton, Bridgwater, Yeovil, Crewkerne, Ilminster and surrounding villages
Bath and North East Somerset — Bath city centre, Radstock, Midsomer Norton, Keynsham and the surrounding area
Bristol — Clifton, Redland, Cotham, Bishopston, Bedminster, Kingsdown and the wider city
Wiltshire, Dorset and Gloucestershire — for the right project
Our workshop is in Pylle, between Shepton Mallet and Castle Cary on the A37, giving us easy access to the whole of Somerset, Bath and Bristol. There is no additional travel charge within our standard service area.
Get in Touch
If you are considering new sash windows, a repair, or a listed building restoration and want to speak to someone who understands the work properly, call us on 07447 592226 or email info@artisawn.co.uk. We are happy to discuss your project without obligation and aim to respond to all enquiries within one working day.
Artisawn. Unit 3a, Stockwood Farm Buildings, Pylle, Somerset BA4 6TA.
Company No. 15497303 · VAT No. 462263695