Who We Are

Our Story

I’m Alli, founder and candle maker at Arwel Barn Candles.

In the spring of 2023, after many years of moving around for work, my husband Nick and I began searching for a new home in South Wales so we could be closer to our daughter, son-in-law and new grandson.

After viewing countless ready-to-move-into properties, we came across Arwel – an old stone house slightly outside our search area and very much in need of love and restoration. From the moment I stepped inside, I knew it could be something special. Nick was less convinced. The house was full of history, character and an impressive amount of damp.

Tucked away in the corner of the garden was a little stone barn. Two storeys high, it had once housed itinerant farm workers upstairs, with the piggery below. After that first viewing, I had what can only be described as a slightly mad midlife moment and made an offer. The rest, as they say, is history.

Our original plan was to turn the barn into extra guest accommodation (I come from a big family), but we soon realised it was already very much alive. Swallows, swifts and even a barn owl had made it their home, and we could not bring ourselves to disturb them. Instead, plans shifted, and the barn’s enclosed upper floor became the vision for a future crafting and workspace, overlooking the neighbouring farm.

I first tried candle making at a workshop around ten years ago and loved it. Over the years, I was often disappointed by candles I had bought – poor burn quality, soot and little transparency about ingredients. After retiring early to make our move, I finally had time to explore creative interests I had never quite had time for before. When I attended a candle-making workshop near Arwel, I knew I had found my thing.

I completed in-depth training and began making candles and melts with a clear aim – to create eco-friendly, clean-burning candles using carefully chosen, responsibly sourced ingredients. Family and friends loved them, and with their encouragement, I took the plunge and started selling.

Starting a small business in my late 50s was daunting – learning new skills, trusting myself and stepping into the unknown. While Nick still works away, I have the steady company of Doris, my old rescue dog, by my side.

Renovations on the main house have taken longer than expected (do they not always?), so the barn is still waiting its turn for a full makeover. For now, it remains a peaceful lookout for Doris and the heart of inspiration behind Arwel Barn Candles – a place where craft, comfort and a love of home come together.

I hope you love them as much as I love making them!

Alli x