Lakeland's Woodland Heritage Exhibition

@ George Barker and Sons- Timber merchants.

Contact details: George Barker & Sons Ltd

Riverside Sawmills, Backbarrow, Ulverston,
Cumbria LA12 8TA

Tel: 015395 31236 Fax: 015395 30801

e-mail info@timbergardenfurniture.com
website www.timbergardenfurniture.com

Located on the edge of the river Leven and surrounded by the splendor of the Lake District hills George Barker and Sons have been trading as a family firm since 1858.

The company has always worked with timber in one way or another and their current production, which can be viewed from a special viewing gallery, is based around the garden leisure industry and includes furniture, decking and garden rooms. The company also retails a range of hot tubs, sauna and other garden leisure accessories.

The Lakeland Woodland Heritage Exhibition is an informative and entertaining interpretation of the history of the Lakeland woodland and of the company's long association with it. The display covers the many wood based crafts such as swill basket making, charcoal burning, besom making and other allied trades which abounded in the locality during the Industrial Revolution many of which continue to this day.

• Discover the most unusual use for a swill basket….can you guess?

• What on earth is a Bool machine and what was it used for?

• What do BBQs and gunpowder have in common?

• What is coppicing and why was it so important to the survival of the local forests?

• Discover the history of Backbarrow village as an important base for the production of cotton and iron ore during the industrial revolution.

• Can you see the wood from the trees?

Entry to the exhibition is free of charge and opening hours are 10 am to 5pm Monday to Saturday all year round.

Gift shop & Café: (Opening hours as per the Exhibition)

Next to the exhibition there is a cosy coffee shop serving a selection of fresh coffees and teas along with a range of delicious hot and cold snacks, cakes and biscuits. The daily specials board should keep your taste buds tingling and coming back for more.

While you enjoy your refreshments you can also browse othe selection of quality gift items many of which are sourced locally and include some award winning chutneys as well as hand made pottery, wood turning and greetings cards.