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Fran Walker - My LHI Story
Fascinating facts about Somerset's Willow
Kate Lynch - my LHI story
Willow - exhibition of paintings & drawings
Willow - Kate Lynch's Book
from Thatch magazine
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Fascinating facts about Somerset's Willow
Location: Somerset
Records show that there's evidence of willow being used here in Somerset for centuries. It was used in prehistoric times for trackways and baskets. The peat lands of the Somerset Levels and Moors have preserved some of this rare evidence. Willows have been found in prehistoric wooden trackways in the Brue Valley.
The use of willow for making baskets can be traced back to two late Iron Age fragments of basket found on the site of the Glastonbury Lake Village. The Romans cultivated willows for basketmaking, furniture and even for their chariots.
Did you know that firemen still use a willow basketwork filter on the ends of their hoses when suctioning water from rivers?
Did you know that willow was also used for toys, clogs, artificial limbs and harp sound boxes?
Did you know that a country dance which imitates the movements of the willows being pulled to and fro in the willow stripping hand brakes is known as ‘Strip the Willow’ and is still danced in schools and barn dances today?
Did you know that ladies used to carry a portable potty to church in a specially shaped willow basket? It was called a Porterloo in case the ladies were caught short during the lengthy sermons!
Did you know that 150 million plastic bags are used in the United Kingdom every week and that a plastic bag takes up to 500 years to decay? Using a willow basket for your shopping instead of plastic bags would help the environment.
Did you know that the Somerset Willow Company made a double decker balloon basket to carry 50 people and it broke the record for the greatest number of people flying in a hot air balloon?
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