Willow weaving is both ancient and modern. Ancient, as it is one of the oldest crafts. Modern, because it is both useful and sustainable. Basketry dates back as much as 12,000 years (Heritage Crafts) making it older than pottery.
Wickerwork fragments were found in Glastonbury Lake dating back to 100 BC (Pyrites). Pliny (AD 23-79), an early historian mentions the cultivation of osiers. Osiers are a type of small Asian willow that has long flexible shoots (withies) suitable for basket work (Oxford Dictionary). An early poll tax record dated 1831 mentions a basket maker in Suffolk.
Britain was renowned for basketry, exporting large quantities of willow baskets to Rome. The Somerset area was ideal for growing willow. By the 1800s plantations of over 3,000 acres were grown to meet the demand of the industrial revolution. Growing and harvesting then stripping willow manually is hard work, just as it is today.
By the 1950s willow baskets were being replaced by plastic basketware. The number of basketmakers fell from 14,000 in 1891 to between 200 and 500 full time basket makers today.
Modern willow weaving
Modern willow basket work is admired for the skill and strength required to weave the basket design. It is desirable because it is made of sustainable materials, willow and wood. Contemporary willow pieces are sculptural and tactile. They are versatile products for the modern home because they can be used as practical storage and statement pieces.
“Baskets went out of fashion at one point and people tended not to use them but people are now going back to more sustainable ways with a lot of things and with the plastic bag having its day are being used again”
– Angela Cole (Gazette Herald)
Angela Cole, an award-winning basket maker was recently our Heritage Award winner in the Blue Patch Sustainability Awards. The project that was nominated was the recreation of a laundry basket from the 19th century. She was given the original basket on the proviso that she would ‘save’ the design by re-making it. This she did, producing a total of five baskets for the project.
The laundry baskets were made using stripped white willow which is chosen because it has no tannins to mark the laundry. The basket design featured a distinctive base which was probably chosen by the basket maker to make it strong enough to cope with a heavy load of waterlogged laundry from the mangle.
Angela has been willow weaving for over 15 years. She loves the physical activity required to weave the willow and shape the baskets. She steam bends and twists honeysuckle and hazel for sculptural baskets. She uses leather for handles and decoration along with woodland details.
The baskets and trugs are made in small batches by hand by Angela herself. She sources the willow from the Somerset Levels where the majority is still grown. Each hand made basket can take hours to complete and the process is completely sustainable.
Angela sells her baskets directly off her website https://yorkshirewillowbaskets.co.uk/ and attends many local events including the Great Yorkshire Show this week. She also opens her studio for the North Yorkshire Open Studios events in summer and winter.
