“…think of Clarkes and think of a singularly focused business – people who source, sell and love timber and who are qualified to advise on getting the very best from this fabulous renewable natural resource…”

The Clarke family have lived in West Oxfordshire for generations. In 1824 Thomas Clarke became an apprentice tinman in Burford. Thomas’s son, John, started a Builders Merchants in Witney followed by his son Harry. During World War II the yard was used as an army depot. Harry’s son Cyril, revived the business after the war. Today Cyril’s son Graeme is the current managing director.  He began work here in 1959. Forty percent of the workforce are members of the family.

Today, C J Clarke is an established and highly respected family run timber merchants who are doing well in an increasingly competitive climate. Whilst our roots lay in the past – our eye is very much on the future. We continue to invest in people and technology to improve our service and the experience for our customers.

We cherish traditional values. This means that we listen, we care and we want to help. Yet we embrace the needs and expectations of modern living and offer quality at an affordable price.

We made a decision to ensure that our sources and supplies of raw and prepared timber would be licensed, traceable and environmentally accountable so that for generations to come our families and our business will be able to enjoy supplying timber whilst helping to manage and perhaps even improve the environment.