You may be wondering what on earth a trug is... Some sort of mythical figure from The Hobbit perhaps, or a rural bandit? In fact a trug is a traditional sort of basket, and is still made by a small number of craftsmen as we discovered on visiting the Weald WoodFair. [Write-ups of the WoodFair can be seen on the 'Events' page].

Sussex trugs were originally used on the farm as measures for grain, feed or even liquid - if the user was quick. They range in size from one pint to one bushel [wildly inaccurate by today's standards] and are made in a variety of shapes, making them ideal for many things in the home and garden; everything from harvesting garden produce or gathering and displaying flowers, to storing fruit or eggs.

The trug has been made in Sussex for at least 200 years becoming renowned for its strength and durability. The craft is still alive today and Peter Marden's trugs are handmade in the traditional way using the same tools, methods and materials. In an age of mass produced plastic carrier bags it is hard to imagine how much effort goes into creating something that does the same job as a carrier bag - well relatively speaking - but is made from natural resources. In fact Peter sources his willow as offcuts from a cricket bat maker.