We are pleased to share a first look at a cricket bat recently manufactured from willow grown here on the Soulton Hall estate.
The timber for this blade was harvested from Soulton Wood, located within sight of the historic location of Rosalynde’s Cottage. This area of the estate holds significant cultural history, serving as the setting that inspired the Forest of Arden in William Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
Foresters in the AS YOU LIKE IT wood harvesting willows gown by the “murmuring stream”, to be made into elite cricket bats
The transition from standing timber to a finished “Warrior” bat reflects the enduring utility of our managed woodland. It provides a contemporary connection to the imagery found in the play:
“The rank of osiers by the murmuring stream.”
The quality of the final product is the result of careful long-term management.
The next generation of Cricket Bat Willows, more will be planted now we have harvested these trees: “Have
you no song, forester, for this purpose?”
We would like to extend our thanks to J.S. Wright & Son, the specialist willow merchants, for their expertise in managing this crop and ensuring the timber was seasoned to the required professional standards.
This bat has been commissioned as a gift for an important friend of Soulton Hall.
It serves as a functional piece of sporting equipment that carries with it the specific history and character of the Shropshire landscape.
We look forward to seeing this piece of Soulton willow in use on the pitch!
Soulton Cricket Bat
