Gardening > Sussex Garden Trug
Way back in the 1820's, just before Queen Victoria ascended to the English Throne, a Man of Sussex, one Thomas Smith of Herstmonceux, made a decision about his life that was to have a profound effect on Sussex and the world. He invented the Sussex Trug! Taking an ancient idea dating back to Anglo Saxon times, Thomas redesigned the historic "trog" and in so doing he created a part of the English gardening scene that is now world famous!
The "trog" was a wooden vessel hewn from solid timber in the shape of the round coracle boat that the Anglo Saxons used for their daily business. Because of the way these "trogs" were made they were very heavy. They were used by Sussex farmers to measure grain and liquids and were made in several sizes for different measures. They continued in use in this form until the mid-1600's when the final record we have been able to uncover which mentions "trogs" was an inventory from a farm in Newhaven, East Sussex where there were recorded "a dozen of trogs in the milking parlour".
Thomas Smith re-invented the "trog" carefully designing a lightweight basket using Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) and Cricket Bat Willow (Salix Coerulea). He moved his lounge and kitchen to the first floor of his home, Hormes House at Windmill Hill, Herstmonceux, and converted the ground floor to his workshops. Hormes House can still be seen on the main road through the village - sporting the Royal Warrant Crest on its eastern face.
The Romans introduced Sweet Chestnut (also known as Spanish Chestnut) into Southern England from Spain and the climate in Sussex and Kent was ideal for it's rapid growth. Thomas selected the Chestnut to make his handles and rims as it splits easily and, being a hardwood, is resistant to rot. He selected true straight poles of Chestnut (known as Cooper Poles or Trug Bats) and cleaved (split) these in half down their length using a Cleaving Axe. The axe is placed on the top of the pole and hit with a wooden mallet to start the split and is then worked through the wood by placing the pole in a "brace" and working the axe by hand to finish the split. The Chestnut is then cleaved down again to more manageable pieces before being hand shaved on one side by a craftsman sitting astride a Shaving Horse and using a Draw Knife to produce a smooth comfortable handle and rim. These handle and rim pieces are steamed to make them supple before being bent round formers to produce the actual handles and rims which are then nailed together to produce the frame.
CONTINUED...
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A STEP BACK IN TIME
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Way back in the 1820's, just before Queen Victoria ascended to the English Throne, a Man of Sussex, one Thomas Smith of Herstmonceux, made a decision about his life that was to have a profound effect on Sussex and the world. He invented the Sussex Trug! Taking an ancient idea dating back to Anglo Saxon times, Thomas redesigned the historic "trog" and in so doing he created a part of the English gardening scene that is now world famous!
The "trog" was a wooden vessel hewn from solid timber in the shape of the round coracle boat that the Anglo Saxons used for their daily business. Because of the way these "trogs" were made they were very heavy. They were used by Sussex farmers to measure grain and liquids and were made in several sizes for different measures. They continued in use in this form until the mid-1600's when the final record we have been able to uncover which mentions "trogs" was an inventory from a farm in Newhaven, East Sussex where there were recorded "a dozen of trogs in the milking parlour".
Thomas Smith re-invented the "trog" carefully designing a lightweight basket using Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) and Cricket Bat Willow (Salix Coerulea). He moved his lounge and kitchen to the first floor of his home, Hormes House at Windmill Hill, Herstmonceux, and converted the ground floor to his workshops. Hormes House can still be seen on the main road through the village - sporting the Royal Warrant Crest on its eastern face.
The Romans introduced Sweet Chestnut (also known as Spanish Chestnut) into Southern England from Spain and the climate in Sussex and Kent was ideal for it's rapid growth. Thomas selected the Chestnut to make his handles and rims as it splits easily and, being a hardwood, is resistant to rot. He selected true straight poles of Chestnut (known as Cooper Poles or Trug Bats) and cleaved (split) these in half down their length using a Cleaving Axe. The axe is placed on the top of the pole and hit with a wooden mallet to start the split and is then worked through the wood by placing the pole in a "brace" and working the axe by hand to finish the split. The Chestnut is then cleaved down again to more manageable pieces before being hand shaved on one side by a craftsman sitting astride a Shaving Horse and using a Draw Knife to produce a smooth comfortable handle and rim. These handle and rim pieces are steamed to make them supple before being bent round formers to produce the actual handles and rims which are then nailed together to produce the frame.
CONTINUED...
The Green Chronicle Community
If you have any questions you want to ask or any information you want to share please visit our friendly community forum.
Here are some of the topics being discussed at the moment:
- Organic Gardening Home Page
- Buy Gardening Books in The Green Chronicle's Book Store.
- See other Gardening Websites in The Green Chronicle's Directory.
- Visit The Green Chronicle Shop for seeds and garden products.
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