Discover Every Side of Us

Feb 4 2025
The sun streaming through trees in a field

Our story began over sixty years ago with an unexpected order for 900 pigeon baskets. Sensing an opportunity, Edward and his son Aubrey each invested £25 to start their own basket-making venture. This leap of faith laid the foundation for what has since evolved into a diverse company, meeting a wide range of funeral needs through our three trusted brands: Somerset Willow Coffins, Natural Woven Coffins, and Cherished Memories.

Somerset Willow Coffins

Our Somerset Willow Coffins brand, the first to be established, offers a range of natural willow coffins handmade and finished in Somerset using local materials. Our expansion from traditional willow baskets into the funeral industry began in 1998 after a request from a natural burial ground seeking a natural alternative coffin. Never one to turn down an opportunity, we started on a path that would transform the business and set about crafting the world’s first modern willow coffin.

Over the past 25 years, our coffins have become our main focus. Through this time we have continually evolved our Somerset Willow Coffins, refining our designs, adding new features and perfecting our craftsmanship. Our ethos of ensuring we bring the best quality and craftsmanship to families remains very much at the heart of our business today.

Somerset Willow Coffins is where our journey into the funeral industry began, and we are honoured to offer families an alternative way to commemorate and fulfil the wishes of loved ones.

Natural Woven Coffins

Natural Woven Coffins provides our sustainably sourced coffins woven by craftsmen on the island of Java. Introduced in 2008, the range expanded our alternative coffin offerings with a plethora of natural and more exotic materials, as well as supplying a more affordable option to families.

Responsible sourcing has always been at the forefront of its creation, and it was essential that Natural Woven Coffins aligned with our values. As part of this, we worked closely with suppliers who continue to adhere to our 10 principles of fair trade, fostering ethical partnerships. Sustainability is equally important to our ethos and helped guide our choice of renewable and biodegradable materials in our products.

Today, we offer a diverse range of styles and materials, including seagrass, cane, willow, banana leaf, wicker, and bamboo, along with painted options. Offering families meaningful choices remains a priority for us.

Cherished Memories

Our most recent brand, Cherished Memories, houses a carefully designed collection of after-funeral items for remembrance and tribute. Whilst having long offered ashes caskets to match our coffins, we wanted to expand our assortment to include a variety of materials to suit individual preferences, as well as the addition of keepsakes to commemorate loved ones. Cherished Memories allows us to continue supporting families beyond the funeral service, ensuring that their tributes and memories are honoured in a special, lasting way.

More than 60 years after Edward and Aubrey first began our family business, we have grown many sides to it, helping to serve the industries we work with in the best possible way. Despite our growth and diversification, we remain true to the family values that have guided us from the start – offering quality, craftsmanship and care in every product we create.