I’m the last traditional clog maker in England

I never wanted to be part of an unsustainable society and have tried to live as peaceful a life as I can, outside the big cities. I am now the last person left in England making clogs by hand. Most days I work in my studio in Kington, Herefordshire, carving green sycamore that I collect myself, hand-dyeing the leather and making sure the soles are as near a perfect match to someone’s foot as possible.

I don’t think you can have a more peaceful life than that. I grew up in Ceredigion, surrounded by sheep. There were no jobs in the area and in 1976 I had to go on benefits; I developed extreme anxiety after breaking up with my first girlfriend. Convent schooling and boys’ boarding schools hadn’t taught me how to develop relationships, so I sought something therapeutic to do.

I met a clog maker, Hywel Davies, in Tregaron and began training as an apprentice. Clog carving knives are dangerous, so the work demanded my complete attention and became the perfect outlet.

England, Kington, Herefordshire

clog maker, traditional clog, kington, herefordshire, sycamore wood, hand dye, leather, apprenticeship, hywel davies, tregaron