A coracle made from linen fabric and coated in linseed resin is used to dress one of the jumps at the internationally famous equestrian Festival of British Eventing held annually at Gatcombe Park, the spectacular home of the Princess Royal.
Simon Cooper of Flaxland has been using his collection of traditional working boats to dress jumps at Gatcombe Park and the Badminton Horse Trials for the past five years. The frame of the coracle pictured, is made from locally grown ash and covered with linen fabric that has been sealed using a linseed resin to make it waterproof. In this very eco-friendly process, even the linseed resin is simply cured by the sun – no fumes, no chemicals. Alongside his boat-building interest, Simon has become intrigued by the whole process and now grows flax in his Gloucestershire fields. At Flaxland’s hands-on workshops you can discover the ancient art of flax growing and processing, turning the flax plant into the finest of textile fibres.
www.flaxland.co.uk