Willow and its uses

Willow (Salix) is, quite frankly, an amazing plant. It is also a tree that has long been associated with death and funerary matters. In her beautiful book, Tree Wisdom, Jacqueline Memory Paterson mentions an old country lore which advises people to ‘plant a willow and allow it to grow, to ease the passage of your soul at death’. She also talks about how willow branches were traditionally ‘placed in coffins’ and willow saplings commonly planted on graves. This last custom echoes a Celtic tradition which imagined the spirit of the deceased in the earth rising up into the sapling above, which subsequently ‘grows and retains the essence of the departed one’.

The Anglo-Saxon work welling, ‘willow’, means ‘pliancy’, and it is this characteristic which makes it so perfect for weaving baskets. Willow has been cut and used by humans for thousands of years: it is believed that some of the earliest human manufactured items were made from willow, with some of the oldest known baskets carbon-dating back over 10,000 years. Native to much of the Northern Hemisphere, there are numerous different species of willow, but particular cultivars have been grown for centuries by dedicated willow growers specifically for the purpose of making baskets. The Somerset Levels is one of the most important wetland environments in the UK, and it is here where the heart of the English willow industry thrives.

Willow (or wicker) coffins have been in use in Britain since the late 19th Century, becoming more popular in recent times as more and more people look for more sustainable and environmentally friendly funeral options. They are ideal for both traditional and alternative types of funeral.  The materials used are eco-friendly and fully biodegradable, so they are also ideal for natural or green burials.  As our coffins are made using a solid base, they are also readily functional for cremations.

At Wild Heart Coffins, we are passionate about sustainability, and supporting small and local businesses.  All our products use willow grown by family firms on the Somerset Levels and are lovingly woven on site at our workshop in Warwickshire.