The iconic weeping ash stood in front of All Saints Church for decades and was a backdrop for my events from baptisms and weddings to Remembrance Day and funerals.
Sadly with the onset of ash dieback the tree became unsafe and in 2022 had to be removed altogether. As the History Group, we realised the significance of the tree, worked with the tree surgeons who had removed it and salvaged a majority section of the trunk. Next, we contacted a local wood turner – Jon Wright of Wombleton – who agreed to take on the task of turning a range of bowls and platters from this tree.
Jon began making wooden jewellery in his early teens. He followed with A level woodwork in the 60’s, and with his first wood-turning experience, and a love for wood began.
He did 2½ years at teacher training college doing woodwork, metalwork, plastics and design, but decided against teaching and dropped out. Jon had always dabbled with bits of wood, creating sculptures and trophies, but never had a proper workshop until about 12 years ago, when he bought his first lathe about 10 years ago.
Apart from salvaged timber, all of his wood has been gathered over his years as a gardener or given in return for something made from it. All the bowls are firstly rough-turned and air dried for a couple of years, so as to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The finished bowls are nearly all wax finished, but sometimes he uses food safe oil for salad bowls. Each bowl is sanded down to 400 grit, a very light application of sanding sealer and then when dry, cut back and waxed and buffed. Jon sells his bowls on eBay, Facebook and is just getting into Instagram, and also has the facility to have a pop-up shop on request. The most popular items have been yarn bowls for all the knitters out there, and he’s sold to customers in France America, Israel, Latvia to name a few, oh, and Barnsley.
The ash bowls were dried naturally during 2022 and 2023 and put on sale at the Kirkbymoorside Christmas Market in 2023, where they were an instant best seller.
