TRUGS

 

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You may be wondering what on earth a trug is? Is it some sort of mythical figure from Lord of the Rings, or a rural affliction? No, a trug is a traditional sort of basket, and is still made by a small number of craftsmen in the Weald of Sussex.

 

Sussex trugs were originally used on the farm as measures for grain, feed or even liquid - if the user was quick. They range in size from one pint to one bushel and are made in a variety of shapes, making them ideal for many things in the home and garden; everything from harvesting garden produce or gathering and displaying flowers, to storing fruit or eggs.

 

They are made in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and can be put to many uses in the home and garden. For example; gathering flowers and garden produce, or for displaying fruit and eggs. The main shapes made today are the Garden (the traditional shaped trug), Oval, Round and Square.

 

The Sussex trug has been made in Sussex for at least 200 years becoming world renowned for its strength and durability. My trugs are traditionally handmade using the same tools, methods and materials as were first used by the original trugmakers. The tools include a cleaving axe, froe, drawknife, steamer, bradel and a shaving horse.

 

Trugs are made from coppiced Sweet Chestnut from the woodlands of the high weald and Cricket bat Willow, these are both readily available, pliable and easy to work with.

 

The handle and rim are cleaved from coppiced sweet chestnut, using a cleaving axe or froe, then held in a shaving horse and smoothed with a drawknife before being steamed to make the wood flexible and then bent around a former. Next, the boards are prepared from cricket-bat willow, again using the drawknife and shaving horse. These are soaked in water to make them more pliable before being nailed into the frame. The feet are made from cricket bat willow.

 

Originally, farmers would have made their own trugs with the wood they had available on the farm, but today as with many woodland crafts, they are made by only a handful of skilled craftsmen. The most popular trug sizes are no 6 and no 7 used by gardeners the world over.

 

Throughout history many people in different regions of the World have invented their own unique baskets, using locally available materials and methods, for instance the Oak Swill from Cumbria using strips of oak and woven willow baskets from many areas of the UK including Somerset.

 

 

 

Trug - Sussex Garden Trug Size 3

Trug - Sussex Garden Trug Size 3
Handmade Sussex Trug. The most popular sized trug for a gift.
£28.00

Trug - Sussex Garden Trug Size 6

Trug - Sussex Garden Trug Size 6
Handmade Sussex Trug by Sussex Trug Maker. Our most popular sized trug.
£44.00

Trug - Sussex Garden Trug Size 7

Trug - Sussex Garden Trug Size 7
Handmade Sussex Trug. The most popular sized trug with professional gardeners & allotment growers.
£49.00

Trug - Sussex  Flower Trug Size 5

Trug - Sussex Flower Trug Size 5
Handmade Sussex Trug. Ideal for gathering short stem flowers.
£39.00

Trug - Sussex Flower Trug Size 7

Trug - Sussex Flower Trug Size 7
Handmade Sussex Trug. Ideal for gathering long stem flowers.
£47.00

Trug - Round Sussex Trug Diameter 10"

Trug - Round Sussex Trug Diameter 10"
Handmade Sussex Trug. Ideal trug for collecting fruit & displaying farm eggs.
£35.00

 

 

 

 

 

Trug Men of Herstmonceux

Audley End Craft and Garden Shows
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
East Sussex County Council - home of Weald Woodfair

 

 

 

 

Herstmonceux Castle

 

 

SUSSEX INDEX A - Z

 

ALFRISTON

ARUNDEL CASTLE

BATTLE

BATTLE ABBEY

BATTLE OF HASTINGS

BEACHY HEAD - BELL TOOT (BELLE TOUT) LIGHTHOUSE

BEXHILL

BIRLING GAP

BODIAM CASTLE

BRIGHTON

CHICHESTER

CHIDDINGLY - HORSE SHOW and GYMKHANA

CROWBOROUGH

CUCKMERE VALLEY - EXCEAT

DISTRICT AND BOROUGH COUNCILS

EAST SUSSEX
EASTBOURNE - EASTBOURNE PIER

FIRLE

FIRLE BONFIRE SOCIETY

GLYNDE

GUY FAWKES

HAILSHAM

HASTINGS

HEATHFIELD

HERSTMONCEUX - CASTLE - CE SCHOOL - LINKS - FESTIVAL

LEWES

LEWES DISTRICT COUNCIL

NEWHAVEN

PEVENSEY CASTLE

RYE

SEAFORD

SEVEN SISTERS

SUSSEX

SUSSEX THINGS TO DO GUIDE

THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS

TRUGS

TWISSELLS MILL, OLD HEATHFIELD

UCKFIELD

WEALD

 

 

 


 

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