Discover the unique life of the last hand-making clog craftsman in England, a 70-year-old who found peace and purpose in a dying art after overcoming personal struggles.
This article tells the story of a 70-year-old man, the last person in England who hand-makes traditional wooden and leather clogs. Living a peaceful life in Kington, Herefordshire, he carves sycamore wood and hand-dyes leather, a craft he embraced in 1976 after experiencing extreme anxiety and unemployment. He learned the skill as an apprentice, finding the demanding nature of clog carving therapeutic. Unlike the all-wooden European clogs, his British clogs combine wood and leather, with each pair taking around 15 hours to complete. Despite the physical toll in his 70s, he continues to collect his own wood and create bespoke footwear for clients globally, including custom designs for individuals with flat feet or morris dancers. He asserts that his custom-fitted clogs are superior to machine-made ones and has even consulted for film and theatre productions. Though his income is modest, his passion for preserving this unique, centuries-old craft, which he notes was considered dying over a hundred years ago, is his primary motivation.
