Our Story

Our story at Somerset Willow began more than sixty years ago when Edward Hill jotted his first order onto an old playing card packet. Throughout this time, our family business has been committed to retaining the strongest possible values, today that story remains. Heritage, Innovation and Craftsmanship continue to form the foundation of our never-ending commitment.

Who We Are

At Somerset Willow we’re a community of talented individuals, passionate about craftsmanship. We believe the most important aspect is the people behind our business. We reinforce this in our workspace by encouraging collaboration and teaching, crucially this creates an abundance of talent. This continued talent passes down the much-needed experience to future generations, and so the cycle continues. This is the same philosophy that drove Edward Hill when he founded our family business in 1959, over four generations later, this same philosophy remains.

Read More

Our Craftsmanship

When we pick up a rod of willow, you can be sure that over sixty years of family heritage will be woven into your basket. We’re obsessive about getting every tiny detail just right, from the tender shoots of growing willow to the finishing touch on each Somerset Willow coffin. Our craftsman train for a minimum of five years before turning their attention to customer creations, this commitment ensures that we achieve the greatest possible quality. We all embrace one principle “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well”.

Read More

Our Journey

Glancing back, we’re proud to reflect on how far we have come. Along the way, we have enjoyed working with changing fashion trends and embraced a more modern design where possible. From humble beginnings, we have seen the business expand into new industries and ventures like the Somerset Willow coffin in 1998. As we focus our vision toward the future, we don’t forget to look back at the values bringing us to the point we stand today.

Read More

Our Innovations

Our philosophy for vision and change is what sets us apart. We’re not afraid to attempt and fail so long as we learn from our mistakes and in the process succeed. As Aubrey Hill, second-generation once said: “Learning from our mistakes enriches our success”. When we pioneered the UK’s first commercial willow coffin in 1998, we had created something beautiful and environmental. Significantly we had helped to lay the foundations of real change in a traditional industry unchanged for hundreds of years.

Read More