Tim Willey

We got off relatively lightly here in Norfolk, as Amy wreaked havoc throughout the uk.   However, as she passed our way, she did manage to topple this 25 metre scots pine and deposit it in the top of a sweet chestnut.  Of course, it had to be suspended over the footpath and of course it had to be dealt with on a Sunday morning when foot traffic was at its hight.   A horrible job to be honest.  The only safe approach is from behind or well to the side.  It's definitely a winch rather than a chainsaw task.  So over a period of several hours we guided walkers along an alternative route while we winched!   We winched this way and that, backwards and to the side, pulling at the base and then up the trunk.  And little by little we eased the pine from the chestnut's snaggy grip, until finally, she fell to the ground with a resounding thump!  You work towards this moment for hours, but it's still a surprise!

This is the MkIl Stave Basket, and here I've used 'riven' or 'cleft'  splints  (split and shaved) rather than sawn timber.  Is this a more  authentic technology? I'm not certain, but I would have thought that reliance on saw-milled timber for the staves would be a late nineteenth century development.  And nothing wrong with that!  An original Jack Rowsell basket which I have in my collection uses sawn timber staves and it's a beautiful example of the species. Also this week, I gave an evening talk to the local village society.  It was cryptically titled  Faggots, Pimps and Throstles ( don't ask!),  which seemed to draw quite a  crowd. So with the aid of forty-plus images, I meandered through the material ecology of a coppice ecosystem before eventually arriving at this little cleft--stave basket.  It was a pleasant little tour, and judging by the questions at the end, I think I took most of the villagers along with me. ...

  Native to Oregon and much prized in Japan as a construction timber; why it was planted here in this small corner of North Norfolk, I have no idea! But of all the conifers that we regularly thin and replace with broadleaf, the Orfords are left well alone until needed.  It's such a lovely timber to work: It's straight grained, cleaves cleanly, steam-bends (as well as ash) and is highly rot resistant.   No, it's not as visually interesting as maybe board-sawn oak and perhaps not as tough as seasoned beech, but it has an unassuming and delicate grain and has a delightful ginger-like scent.  Used recently on the splint baskets, I treated the top faces of the bands and handle with my interpretation of a Japanese Kakishibu tannin dye, it's a deep reddish brown and it's as natural a stain as you could ever wish for, and what's more... it's a preservative too! As a side note;  how ever much I've enjoyed working with Orford cedar,...

  If I had to choose just one artefact to illustrate the diversity of practical approaches to woodland materials, then the stave basket would have to be it ! It's a very traditional construction, most notably associated with makers in Devon.  Alas, it is now an endangered species, although happily, a couple of very accomplished makers are still active in stalling its demise - it's certainly worth searching them out. These two I made from materials sourced in the wood.  Perhaps not ultra-traditional, but a pragmatic selection of what I have available.  The bases are made of ash, the staves of Douglas fir and the steam-bent bands and handles are made from Orford cedar (an unusual but beautiful timber to work with). In future posts I'll be taking a closer look at their construction, particularly their material ecology and the associated techniques that go into their making. 

  At Last! After searching for years amongst Norfolk's many heathland paths, I've spotted my first tiger beetle.  And where did I find it: on the edge of the wood as I was putting in a field gate! Quite a large colony; I spotted several over the course of the day and I'm wondering if they've been here all the time or established themselves after clearing  a large stand of conifers  and replanting with broadleaf? Before the commercial conifer plantation was set in the 1960's this area was predominantly a mixed heathland, with birch and gorse together with scattered oak and sweet chestnut.  Now it seems that the heathland community is re-establishing itself.  The gorse is back along with birches, linnets and mining bees.  And now we have the green tiger beetle.  What next? Let's hope for a nightjar!

Over the coming days and weeks I'll be building solely on this new site.  Its focus will be mainly on material ecology but will also include  day-to-day escapades in 'Tales from the Woods'.  I   hope it will prove a useful and entertaining resource. Please drop by again soon.