The Last Elm of Charsfield: A Story of Salvage and Second Chances

Every piece of timber that leaves our workshop has a story. But some stories are more poignant than others. This is the story of a grand old Elm tree that stood for over 150 years on the edge of a farmer's field in the village of Charsfield, Suffolk.

It’s a story of loss, but also of legacy. It’s a story that perfectly captures why we do what we do: to give a beautiful, meaningful second life to wood that would otherwise be lost.

The Beginning: A Gentle Giants Final Stand

This wasn't a tree felled by a sudden storm. This was a slow, sad decline. The tree was one of the very few Elms left in Suffolk, a survivor of the Dutch Elm Disease that wiped out millions of these beautiful trees in the 60s and 70s.

For years, it had bravely stood alone. But as so many Elms do, when it reached a certain height, it attracted the attention of the beetle that carries the fatal fungal spores. Year by year, the disease took hold, and the tree began to gradually die off, dropping heavy limbs. It became a safety risk, and its time had come.

When we were called, we knew this wasn't just any job. This was a piece of local history.

The Assessment: Finding the Solid Heart

Bringing the Elm back to the workshop was the first step. The next was to see if any of it could be saved. The first 8 feet of the trunk was completely hollow, as was the root ball. To an untrained eye, it might have looked like a lost cause.

But this is where experience matters. The rot was cut away from the trunk until we produced solid timber. It was a careful, deliberate process of peeling away the dead and dying wood to reveal the strong, beautiful heartwood that had been hidden inside. It was a testament to the tree's resilience that any solid wood remained at all.

The Milling: Unlocking a Future of Beauty

With the solid timber revealed, we could finally mill it. As the saw cut through the wood, we could see the incredible figure and character within. This wasn't just timber; it was a archive of 150 years of Suffolk weather and history.

The Elm has now been milled into future tabletop size boards with the potential of some outstanding book-matched boards. We could already see how opening the planks like the pages of a book would create a stunning, symmetrical grain pattern—a truly fitting tribute to such a magnificent tree.

The Two Year Wait: A Patient Transformation

Just like all our timber, these Elm boards now begin the most important part of their journey: the two-year wait. We stack them with stickers to allow air to circulate, and we let them dry slowly and naturally. This patient process is what ensures the wood will be stable and true, ready to be crafted without warping or splitting.

This tree has waited 150 years; we can wait a little longer to do it justice.

The Final Chapter: A New Legacy

In two years, this wood will be ready. It will be crafted into tables, desks, and other pieces that will be cherished for generations. The tree that stood alone in a field will find new life at the centre of a home, filled with family and memories.

As my wife Nokomis says, "How nice it is for us to know that they will make lovely family memories around that table for possibly generations. That means a lot to us."

Our current Elm products show a glimpse of that future. A preview of the stunning, rich colour and grain that will be revealed once the wood is fully dry and finished. The last Elm of Charsfield won't be forgotten.

We are honoured to be the custodians of this local history. If you value sustainability, craftsmanship, and a story you can't find anywhere else, we'd love to help you with your next project.