The birch thinning has now been completed for this season and the stems seem to be the perfect length for making up short faggots. Interestingly, the short faggot or ‘nicket’ was standardised in 1474 as measuring 3 feet long by 2 feet in circumference.

Historically used as a fuel source; I hope to use these faggots for open-firing and keep the snedded twigs for some sort of bunched and bound sculpture; I’m thinking ‘besom brooms’ technology!

My first attempts at making up faggots – many years ago now – was a bit of a disaster and a little humilating; I couldn’t help but wonder at the super-hero strength of the medieval coppice worker. How did they move these things out of the woods? It’s an easy mistake to make: Good to remember that it’s 2 feet in circumference and not in diameter!

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