Cornish Willow Coffins is a small business offering bespoke wicker caskets. Coffins are made using traditional weaving techniques and natural materials.
Located on the edge of Bodmin Moor, artist and basket maker Jessie Carr works directly with families and loved ones to create personal unique caskets. Jessie works alongside Pentiddy natural burials and harvests the beautifully coloured willows from their community woodland to be used in her products.
“Having suffered losses myself I can relate to the grieving process and understand the importance of the funeral and final resting place of the beloved” Jessie Carr.
About Us
Introducing Jessie Carr
Nature is at the heart of everything I do, whether it’s weaving willow, painting plants, gardening or just spending time immersed in the natural world. I’m extremely lucky to live and work on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Located close to Pentiddy Natural Burials and it’s through them I decided to learn to weave coffins. Basket making started as a hobby when my youngest was a baby but soon became my passion leading on to weaving for a living. I find it an honour and a privilege to provide families with this service. The coffin is a very important part of the funeral service; it is the central focus, the final resting place for our beloved.
Willow
Willow is an amazing material to work with, it is strong, flexible and totally sustainable. It has been used to weave with since the stone age. Harvested annually during the winter months it can grow to 10 feet or more in one season and comes in a wide array of natural colours. It can either be used fresh during the winter months or it can be dried out to be used later in the year by soaking in water to make it pliable to weave with again.
Coffins
All about the coffins
There are many colour combinations to choose from and Jessie is happy to discuss the options with you, encouraging any input you wish to have in creating a unique casket. Willow colours do vary depending on the seasons and availability.
Each casket is lined with natural cotton and small pillow. A solid oak plaque is engraved to furnish the lid, this can include a few words from the family.
“Thank you for making the most wonderful coffin, everyone commented on how beautiful it was” Barbara Lock.
The coffin names come from the Cornish language, ‘Chy’ meaning ‘House’, followed by descriptive words to describe where the house is situated.
Chycoose – ‘House by a wood’.
The colours may vary slightly depending on the season, the general feel of the design will remain the same.
Chytowan – ‘House by sand dunes’.
All of the colours used in the coffins are natural, there are hundreds of willow varieties with different coloured barks.
Chyandour – ‘House by water’.
The Chyandour coffin can only be made in spring when the willow starts to sprout its new seasons leaves.
Chypons – ‘House by a bridge’.
Willow is harvested during the winter months while the sap is down, this is when the vibrant colours are available.
Chytodden – ‘House by grasslands’.
White willow is produced by standing the freshly cut willow in water over the winter, when the new shoots start to grow, the sap is rising and allows for easy removal of the bark to produce a pristine white.
Chynals – ‘House on a cliff’.
The colours in the Chynals and Chywoone coffins are seasonal an are only available from December through to March.
Chywoone – ‘House on a down’Boscawen – ‘House by an elder tree’Chyreen – ‘House on a slope’
Prices and Ordering
Coffin prices:
All standard sized coffins are £700.00. Extra large sizes are £750.00.
Delivery costs:
Delivery to Callington and Liskeard area is free of charge.
Jessie delivers the coffins herself to ensure safe transit, usually this is direct to the funeral directors. The cost of delivery depends on the distance she has to travel, within Devon and Cornwall the cost will just be to cover fuel, outside of this area she will need to also charge a fee for her time.
Ordering:
Please contact Jessie direct on: Telephone: 07467 023384 / 01579 363523 Email: jessiecarr60@yahoo.co.uk