We are pleased to work with Musgrove Willows to provide beautiful, personalised willow coffins.
Like ourselves, Musgrove Willows is an independent, family run business. The fourth generation of the Musgrove family now working for the company.
Darren recently had a tour of their farm in Somerset and got to watch the coffin making process from start to finish. Every step is carried out on-site to ensure the highest quality, and each coffin is carefully hand crafted to order, usually completed within 48 hours.
Over sixty varieties of willow are grown and then processed using traditional methods. As well as making coffins the willow is used for a wide variety of projects including basketry and sculpture.
Musgrove Willow offers family and friends the opportunity to visit the farm and actively participate in the weaving of their loved one’s coffin. This can be a very special way for them to be involved.
There are also options for personalising the coffin, with a variety of colours of willow to choose from. There are handles, bands and plaits incorporated into the design which can be made from any of these colours, meaning each coffin can be truly unique.
Darren watched the willow being boiled and stripped ready for use, the natural dyes used to create the different colours, and then finally he watched the skilled weavers deftly working on a coffin.
Musgrove Willows work sensitively with their environment to ensure a balance between the crop and wildlife is maintained. All crops are planted by hand as it produces a higher ‘take up’ rate. They also practice a carbon neutral policy, and any offcuts from the manufacturing process are used to make artist charcoal, meaning nothing is wasted.
