Barn Club: A Tale of Forgotten Elm Trees, Traditional Craft and Community Spirit - Hardcover

Robert Somerville

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 160358966X ISBN 13: 9781603589666

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Co, 2021

Synopsis

Somerville knows more about wooden barn construction than almost anyone alive. The Telegraph

A joyful reminder of why nature, being outside, being together and creating beauty is so good for the soul. Kate Humble, broadcaster and author of A Year of Living Simply

For all our advances, it’s hard to deny the modern world brings with it new ills of disconnection and disenfranchisement, but here in Barn Club they’ve found their cure.Barn the Spoon, master craftsman and author of Spon

Natural history meets traditional hand craft in this celebration of the elm tree and community spirit.

Perfect for fans of The Hidden Life of Trees and the The Wood.

Barn Club calls on us to discover our landscapes more intimately and to explore the joys of making beautiful things by hand, together.

When renowned craftsman Robert Somerville moved to Hertfordshire, in southern England, he discovered an unexpected landscape rich with wildlife and elm trees. Nestled within London's commuter belt, this wooded farmland inspired Somerville, a lifelong woodworker, to revive the ancient tradition of hand-raising barns.

Barn Club follows the building of Carley Barn, over the course of one year. Volunteers from all walks of life joined Barn Club, inspired to learn this ancient skill of building elm barns by hand, at its own quiet pace and in the company of others, while using timber from the local woods.

The tale of the elm tree in its landscape is central to Barn Club. Its natural history, historic importance and remarkable survival make for a fascinating story. This is a tale of forgotten trees, a local landscape and an ancient craft.

This book features 16 pages of colour photographs, and black and white line drawings of techniques and traditional timber frame barns feature throughout.

About this title

About the Author

Robert Somerville grew up in rural Kent during the 1960s. A childhood spent in the woods and hills of the North Downs and the orchards and marshes of the Little Stour valley inspired his deep love for the natural world. After studying engineering and architecture at the University of Cambridge, Somerville went on to run a design and building business in Devon, utilizing local wood, stone and earth. Upon moving to Hertfordshire with his wife, Lydia, Somerville began working with local woodland owners and foresters to source local elm timber and then build and raise timber frames by hand, with the help of volunteers known as the Barn Club - a group formed to teach, practice and celebrate skilled rural craftsmanship. Somerville lives with Lydia and the youngest of his three children in their self-built eco-house in an idyllic smallholding.

Edition details

• Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Co
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 160358966X
• ISBN 13: 9781603589666
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272