In the early 1990s, my career as a carver was defined by a transition between two of the most prestigious estates in England. I had just completed a significant period of work at Woburn Abbey, serving the Duke of Bedford. Woburn was a masterclass in scale; the seat of the Russell family demanded a masonry style that could withstand the scrutiny of centuries and the vastness of the Bedfordshire landscape. However, the next chapter of my professional life would lead me to a different kind of precision: the private restoration of Soham House for the Aga Khan.

Moving from Woburn to Newmarket felt like a shift from the public grandeur of a ducal palace to the intimate, high-stakes refinement of a private sanctuary. At Soham House, the focus was singular. The Aga Khan is a man known internationally for his uncompromising standards and his sense of integrity—qualities that were famously mirrored in his dealings with the racing world during that same decade. For a stonemason, working for such a patron meant there was no room for anything less than perfection.

The work at Soham House in the early 90s was a rigorous exercise in “honest” architecture. Unlike the theatrical facades found in many modern constructions, the materials here were authentic. The house, a Tudor Revival masterpiece on Snailwell Road, required a level of hand-worked detail that respected the original 1892 craftsmanship. Whether I was working on exterior mullions or interior details, the requirement was always the same: the new work had to possess the same soul and permanence as the old.

To work on such a property is to understand the true meaning of stewardship. At Woburn, I learned how to manage the weight of history on a grand scale; at Soham House, I learned the importance of the minute detail—the curve of a line or the finish of a surface that only the patron might ever truly notice. It was a period of intense professional growth, where the noise of the world was replaced by the steady rhythm of the mallet and chisel.

I have always been driven by the knowledge that the stone I carve today will remain long after I am gone. Entrusted with the fabric of the Aga Khan’s home directly after serving the Duke of Bedford, I felt the full weight of that responsibility. It is a commitment to the “right” way of doing things—using real materials and time-honoured techniques—that continues to fuel my work and my enthusiasm for the craft today.

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