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Hurdle making (© University
of Reading Rural History Centre) |
Historically, people relied on woodlands to provide many
of the items that they used in their homes and at work, ranging
from baskets, furniture and fencing to tools and fuel. Consequently,
the management of semi-natural woodlands was economically
viable and locally played a central role in the culture and
life of the High Weald of Sussex where Wakehurst Place is
located. Since the early years of this century, the market
for native woodland products, such as charcoal, hazel hurdles,
and hedging stakes, has decreased in favour of modern synthetic
materials and cheap imports. As a result, many traditional
skills have been lost and woodlands neglected. This, in turn,
has led to a decline in many plant and animal species that
rely upon the diverse habitats created during the woodland
management cycle for their survival.
With today's concern for the long-term management of the earth’s
finite resources, there has been a resurgence of interest
in traditional management which could help make woodlands
and associated crafts profitable once more. To maintain this
revival, it is essential that the woodland resources are supported
by a skilled labour force who can earn a living from the products
they manufacture. Purchasing a product from sustainably managed
British woodlands makes a personal contribution to the economic
viability of traditional skills which will support the conservation
of these habitats and their diverse wildlife.
At Wakehurst Place, we are managing our woodlands to maximise
their economic value and to conserve their rich biological
heritage. By staging events which focus on traditional skills,
we aim to raise awareness of woodland management and the conservation
of British wildlife. Our diverse educational programme endeavours
to provide a practical link between the traditional skills
and reasons for woodland management.
Traditional woodland management -
coppicing
Skilled craftsmen made many objects from wood that had been
coppiced. This ancient practice involves cutting trees and
shrubs to ground level and regularly harvesting the shoots
which regrow from dormant buds in the stumps and roots. Traditionally,
coppice was cut on a regular cycle depending on the species
and the product required. Hazel (Corylus avellana),
for example, was typically coppiced every 7-10 years to produce
pea-sticks, thatching spars, hurdles and fuel. Sweet chestnut
(Castanea sativa) was usually cut at 15 years for fencing,
whilst oak (Quercus robur) was left from 25-35 years
for firewood and charcoal production. A limited number of
trees, known as standards, were often retained for 80-100
years to produce larger timber. Among the most commonly coppiced
of the British native broad-leaved trees and shrubs are alder
(Alnus glutinosa), beech (Fagus sylvatica),
willow (Salix spp.), wych elm (Ulmus glabra),
lime (Tilia spp.) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior).
Although the life of a woodsman is romanticised today, the
reality was very different. In the winter months, skilled
woodsmen worked tirelessly cutting the coppice to produce
sufficient material to last the whole year. They often worked
away from home for long periods, living in crudely constructed
huts or 'hovels' near their workplace. Employed by large estates
who managed their own woodlands, they began learning their
trade at the early ages of nine or ten and served long apprenticeships.
The more skilled craftsmen were self employed, selling their
products through local markets or direct to the customer.
They laboured long hours for little financial reward and,
only occasionally working in teams, led a solitary existence.
Local blacksmiths designed most tools specially to meet demand
and the woodsman's specifications. This resulted in many regional
variations which differed in size, weight and pattern. Many
tools had a unique role, linked to specific skills - for example,
the twybil, a mortising knife, used in the preparation of
gate hurdles and the stock knife used to fashion tent pegs.
Most craftsmen, however, only owned a small collection of
essential tools which included an axe, side axe, froe and
beetle maul, billhook and draw-knife or draw-shave. These
basic tools, used in conjunction with a number of devices
constructed in the woodlands for gripping, supporting and
levering wood, enabled the craftsman to carry out most tasks.
Page 1 of 2. Next: Craftsmen
and their products >>>
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