Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Mike Rowland & Son Master Wheelwrights.
A behind the scenes look at the craft of the wheelwright, captured during an afternoon with Master Wheelwright Greg Rowland. A reminder that some traditions endure not by chance, but by the hands that keep them alive. And in his words, he’s really just a mechanic, only from a time when the only “cars” on the road were carts and carriages.
The workshop is one of the last of its kind, home to the world’s only father and son Master Wheelwrights. Founded by Mike Rowland in 1964 and now carried forward by his son, Greg, Sam and carriage restorer Mark, the team holds over 80 years of experience. With the trade running in their family as far back as 1331, they produce around 200 wheels each year. The purpose built workshop restores everything from horse-drawn vehicles to military gun carriages, the French cannons guarding the Crown Jewels and the state funeral carriage. This centuries old craft is proof that skills like this survive not as nostalgia, but through capability, heritage and the people dedicated to keeping history turning.
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025
Colyton Wheelwrights | ©JessicaHollis2025