About us
Benfield and Loxley
Benfield and Loxley have always been strong on dedication and we have consistently exhibited a desire to grow and form business relationships. Our staff strive to deliver projects for our clients and enhance those relationships. In August 2022 we took this one step further and became Employee Owned. Under employee ownership, everyone at Benfield and Loxley will have a new formal, vested interest in those principles and a tangible reason to uphold them and to develop them going forward. Staff at Benfield and Loxley can now receive an income tax free bonus based on business performance.
Our History
In 1876 Oxford, William Loxley teamed up with a fellow carpenter George Edward Benfield to work on the restoration of the roof of New College Chapel. Its first major building contract was for Magdalen College School (boarding) house. Since then Benfield and Loxley has worked on practically every college in Oxford and many other university and private school buildings.
In 1900 Benfield and Loxley built its own Brickworks at Sandford just outside Oxford. At the time this was the largest brickworks in the world, producing 10,000 bricks per week. The engines from the works were taken into war service in 1914 and the site never operated again.
Benfield and Loxley erected the original Morris Motor works, now BMW, and subsequently completed other extension works including the office block still in use.
In 1937 the company bought the stone quarries at Bladon which they used to build the New Bodleian Library, 1937-1940 and Nuffield College 1949-1960.
In 1960 Benfield and Loxley became a public incorporated company and built many contemporary styled buildings in Oxford such as the Blackwells building. It also diversified into other geographical areas.
In 1984 the company was taken back into private ownership and focussed once again on the Oxford area, in particular the Colleges and private education sector since when it has continued to operate successfully.
Since its establishment in 1876, Benfield and Loxley has been constructing in and around Oxford focussing on the private education sector and taking pride in long-term relationships with our clients, staff, sub-contractors and consultants.
Meet the team
Sara Murray
Managing Director
Sara has worked in the construction industry since leaving school and joined Benfield and Loxley in 2008. "Completing a wide variety of high quality projects that will be around for generations to come" gives her huge satisfaction which is "made possible by the great teams that deliver the projects". Sara enjoys going to the gym and a variety of holidays.
Martin Steele
Estimator
Martin joined Benfield and Loxley in 2019. He "enjoys the variety in projects and the clients we work alongside". Working for Benfield and Loxley Martin finds "the people are friendly and are a good team to be part of". This fits with his personality - "I enjoy a good laugh and am not afraid to try out new things". Out of work Martin is a keen footballer and relaxing on a beach with a beer or two.
Jane Pratt
Accounts Manager
Jane joined Benfield & Loxley in January 2010 as the office administrator and was involved in helping with estimating, producing O&M manuals and helping with the smooth running of the office as a whole before moving into the Accounts Manager role in May 2023.
Jane takes great pride in being involved with the variety of high quality projects the company carries out, and enjoys being part of the friendly team in and out of the office.
Outside of the office Jane is a keen open water swimmer, and enjoys holidaying in Devon as often as she can.
Adam Hagar
Site Manager
Adam started with Benfield and Loxley as an apprentice and is now a qualified carpenter. He particularly enjoys "a good team spirit, people working well together, the variation in work and having the backing of the company".He has a young family and enjoys going on holiday with them to places like Greece.
Jon Cox
Carpenter
Jonny has worked as a carpenter for Benfield and Loxley since 2005. He is an "enthusiastic, hard working, happy go lucky person who enjoys the friendly people that he works with". Jon's day involves a mixture of carpentry tasks from floor joists or stud work to hanging doors or skirting, all types of first and second fix carpentry. He enjoys being challenged on a daily basis by the bespoke nature of our construction projects.
John Dymock
Construction Manager
John joined Benfield and Loxley as a construction manager in 2009. He relishes logistical challenges and takes great pride in the rich complexity to the historical projects that we deliver, "it's great working with our enthusiastic team together with our clients, specialists and designers". John enjoys sailing on the South coast and is a lead volunteer with his local Scout Group.