Masters of their craft

Creating bespoke sporting heirlooms in the making, these highly skilled British artisans are bringing the spirit of traditional craftsmanship into the modern era

- Written by Miles Malone

WE HAVE always been a country of makers. Much of Britain's reputation for excellence was built on the transformation of high-quality materials into finely made goods. The arrival of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century threatened to irrevocably change this long-held tradition of artistry, passed from generation to generation. Yet it did not prove terminal for our artisans and their centuries-old methods. By the mid-19th century, a counter-cultural movement emerged championing traditional techniques and use of materials. The Arts and Crafts revival generated markets that supported a new wave of craftspeople bringing their personal talents and innovation to ancient handwork. What resulted was the twinning of old and new, being at once historic and modern, functional yet creative.

A new collective of talents are taking up the mantle of producing objects that bring the spirit of bespoke craftsmanship into the modern era: the perfect antidote to the screen-filled, quick-fix world of mass production. Our most imaginative people are seeking to 'craft' once more, embracing traditional techniques to bring oldworld charm to new creations. This is not just the honouring of age-old skills, nor simply an exercise in the survival of the 'old ways', but a vibrant and exciting renaissance.

Fieldsports have long captured the imagination, fired our enthusiasm to the point of near obsession and shaped the green and pleasant land that we proudly call home. British guns and gunmakers are famous the world over and are accompanied by a wealth of other sporting crafts from falconry furniture to fowling punts. In the sporting world the appetite for creative and bespoke products that are beautiful yet tough enough to endure the tests of the field is ever growing.

Godfrey Morris, master saddler