Celebrating the crafts woven into history

Angela Cole of Westow, near Malton, is one of very few practitioners who make their living from willow weaving in Yorkshire. Next weekend she will be demonstrating her craft at the fourth Wild About Wood Festival taking place at the Castle Howard Arboretum on Saturday, September 15 and Sunday, September 16.

With her partner, Geoff Norton, the pair formed Yorkshire Hurdles 13 years ago. A hurdle, in terms of willow or hazel, refers to a wattle fence panel.

“They were the first items we were asked to make. Today we make mainly garden ware such as plant climbers and trellising. I also undertake specialist willow sculpture. We only just scrape a living from it but we love the variety. I’d always wanted to work in a craft environment, working with my hands. I’d started off in care work but had always ended up in the craft workshops. Now we run our own craft workshops, attend events, conduct demonstrations and teach those who are new to willow weaving how to go about it.

“It’s a very ancient discipline and there are a number of weaving techniques from traditional to contemporary styles and I dabble in all of them. The willow is harvested and then dried, then I re-soak what I need for my week’s work. That makes the willow flexible and pliant. It’s a very interesting material as it is the only material that will re-absorb water into its cellular structure and become as flexible as it was when it was growing.

“The craft is mainly conducted in the south of England where most of the commercial willow is grown on the Somerset Levels. There are a handful of weavers around Yorkshire but the industry is more alive where the willow is grown.

“We started out working with any type of wood, but we then found that most of the orders we were taking were for willow-based items. In the end it took over and most of our work is now with willow. I like the simplicity of it and using just a pair of secateurs you can do most of the work.

“I can make a 6ft garden plant support in about an hour, but some items take a lot longer. Sculpting takes twice as long as any other job and usually you find you get paid just half the price for it. I sell some of my smaller items from a shop in Malton but we get a lot of our more substantial work from the internet.”

This will be Angela’s third year of demonstrating her craft at Castle Howard.

“Wild About Wood is the kind of event with which we like to be involved. It’s not massive but it’s lovely and stays true to its roots and is very nature oriented. There’s no plastic in sight!”

Wild About Wood takes place at Castle Howard on Saturday, September 15 and Sunday, September 16, 10am-5pm.