Shropshire Magazine

Participating woodworkers gather on Wenlock Edge at the beginning of the project.

Ben Bentley catches up with progress on an ambitious woodworking project

It’s what you might call a root-and-branch approach to recycling. Eight months ago, in the depths of winter, a 40-foot ash tree was felled in the woods along Wenlock Edge. Today, its legacy can be found in the shape of dozens of wooden items handcrafted from its varous sections.

In what has been something of labour of love, south Shropshire carpenter Anthony Jones had the novel idea of felling a tree and inviting local craftsmen to use every single morsel of wood to create something else.

Items that have been fashioned from the 80-year-old tree — which was felled as part of a National Trust woodland management project — include a sprung chair, pens, a guitar body and even a canoe. Pieces have been used to make wooden toys, games and a cata­pult. Craftsmen and -women have also been putting the finishing touches to a Clun chair, a coffee table and a mulched pathway.

Nothing has gone to waste. Ash off-cuts have even been used in food preparation: “Some of the shavings were used to smoke meat,” explains Anthony.

The fruits of their labours are now due to go on display at the Michaelmas Fair at Bishop’s Castle this month.

But rewind to winter, and deep in the woods the ash tree lies felled like a great sleeping giant. If it was the dramatic “whoosh” of the tree falling to earth that marked the start of this ambitious project, it was the next stage — the milling — that caused the greatest excitement.

The man behind the project puts it on a par with the best day of a child’s life — when Santa jumps down your chimney and furnishes you with gifts.

Anthony Jones, project instigator, working on an ash staircase.

“When you slice it it’s like opening a Christmas present,” says Anthony enthusiastically. “You don’t know for sure what you are going to find inside until you open it, and although you do know basically what you are going to get, there is an element of surprise to it.”

Naturally the trunk itself is earmarked for the larger, more bulky items and there is skill and science to the way it is cut, with Anthony listing the projects and taking a marker pen to it, like a butcher might to a carcass.

“How big is a chair back?” asks Anthony considering the potential for one section. There follows a debate on the varying height of chair backs, which moves on to tabletops.

“The first section is not knotty but further up we’ve got knotty bits which would be okay for table tops and bits and bobs.”

In the plan to not let any wood go to waste, an unallocated 700mm section elicits item ideas.

“You could make a few coffee table legs out of that,” suggests carpenter Ian Taylor.

A cross-section of trunk near its base is earmarked for the seat of a Clun chair, which one of the project supporters is keen to create.

But there are plenty of unusual items that have sprung to life from the tree.

Musical instrument maker John Geach, who is also the captain of the tower of Bishop’s Castle church, has created stays to support the bells.

“Anthony undertook to give me a plank from the heart of the tree, of what is called quartered wood — wood where the grain runs straight from one face to another, and this timber is going to be used to make the stays which forms part of the restraint apparatus of bells hung for ringing in churches.

“They are quite straightforward bits of timber, about two-and-half inches square with a bit of a taper to the end where it goes down to about one-and-a-half inches square, and that’s on three sides of the piece — one side being straight and parallel,” explains John.

“It’s to make sure we have a stock of these things. These are not traditional stays, which are much heavier and have a curve on them, but in more modern bell-hanging — and we have just been rehung — the stays, these rather lightweight pieces of wood, perhaps partly reflect the increased price of timber these days.

“With an eye to the future I’m going to make up a spare set for the tower, because these things do get tired and they do break.”

He adds: “Using local materials like this is absolutely in the tradition of this kind of work through the ages.

“It looks as though I am going to get the pig’s share in this because it’s a bit of a compliment to be offered the heart of a tree. The middle out of any given trunk section is the choice plank. I’m only getting about two foot eight inches of it, of course, and we are talking about a tree whose standing height was 40 feet, so the bole will be over 20 feet. So while I am getting a prime cut, I’m not the only one.

“I will be needing six stays to provide a complete set of spares as we have six bells at the moment in Bishop’s Castle.”

Neill Mapes, who runs courses in arts and crafts at the Green Wood Centre in Coalbrookdale has completed a two-seater chair made from ash branch wood and rush, and a low table.

“I’ve tried to show how functional pieces can be made from all parts of the tree,” says Neill. “Basically I’m a self-employed rustic furniture and woodland artist. I’ve always been inspired by woodlands, trees and how we interact with the environment, and I always endeavour to source materials for my work locally, ethically and sustainably.”

He also hopes the project might inspire other people, especially youngsters, in the wonders of wood.

Neill’s pieces are award-winning too. He recently won a prize for a chair made for the Pole Lathe Association Competition. Adds Neill: “The prizes are awarded by members of the Pole Lathe Association, so it good to be recognised by your peers.”

Anthony Jones, the man who started it all, says: “I had been planning on making a few floorboards to start with, but if there was a big demand I thought I would make something using less wood, or perhaps use some of the others’ offcuts — souvenirs, pot pourri out of the shavings, spatulas, perhaps some games or small toys.”

Anthony has used wood to make a staircase and a guitar body.

Whatever floats your boat: Stephen Richards is building a canoe with his share of the ash tree.

One of the more unusual products of the ash tree is a black fungus which grows on the bark, known as King Alfred’s cake, which can be used as tinder to light fires.

“If this all comes together and we find these King Alfred’s cakes we may have a little demonstration at the Bishop’s Castle Michaelmas Fair.

“That was the smallest, most unusual idea. The biggest single item is the shaft for a part of a cart that someone was hoping to make for Acton Scott.”

At the time of the felling, carpenter Ian Taylor, from Bishop’s Castle, had no idea what he might use cuts from the tree for, but is often asked to fashion bespoke items.

“At the moment we have got to mill the tree to see what we are going to get in the way of timber.

“I’ve got one or two customers who said they would support the project, lots of ladies who have said they would like artistic pieces such as a fruitbowl, or possibly kitchen handles or a handle for a light pull.

“Ash is a good timber, you can use it for lots of things, even spokes for a cartwheel. I know someone is going to use what’s left for mulch and the the smoking of meat with the shavings.”

Alastair Heath, National Trust area warden for Wenlock Edge, says: “It is great to see just how useful one tree can be and how much can be created from it.”

The final word goes to Anthony Jones, who adds: “It is very satisfying to start with a tree that needs to come down — to go through the mud in the woods in your wellies and find the tree, then work right through to having the final product in your hand and taking a bit of polish to it.”