Our traditional Trug Basket is based on the ‘Trogs’ used by Anglo Saxons to measure all sorts of stuff, including liquid! Back then they were a really, really, chunky, squashed boat shape hewn from solid timber.
(We’re told the last recording of Trogs was back in the 17th Century when a Sussex milking parlour was recorded as having “a dozen”).
It was in Sussex that a new style of ‘Trug’ Basket was developed back in the early 19th Century by a chap called Tom Smith. He sacrificed carrying liquids for the sake of lightness, and the ‘modern’ trug of slats nailed to a frame and a handle that has been steamed, and then shaped by hand, was born.
Our Trug Baskets are carefully handmade in the traditional way by Trugmakers in Thomas Smith’s original hometown of Herstmonceux. They have updated a little bit since Thomas’ days though – now the Trug Basket is made from Birch (FSC approved, of course).
Willow, the traditional ‘basket’ wood, is great but it does need a bit of looking after. Birch, on the other hand, can be left outside for ages and come to no harm.
They started with Birch 40 years ago, so we can call them ‘traditional’ now!
Do you know, we never knew we needed a Trug Basket until we had one! Ours is a number 6 but I do make sure not to fill it up too much.
We are very proud to sell these Handmade in Herstmonceux Trug Baskets, they are such wonderful examples of rural craftmanship. Not only are they so versatile but they make really lovely, useful presents.
(For extra special people, you could even fill them up with loads of goodies, such as our ‘Garden Hamper’)
