Wanted: ship figurehead carvers and thatchers as skills die out

For many centuries, the cities, towns and villages of the UK were enlivened and enriched by the sights and sounds of craftspeople creating beautiful and useful objects.

- Steven Morris

But a number of crafts, from Welsh thatching to ship figurehead carving, have been added to an already bulging "red list" of skills considered under threat.

According to the list, by the charity Heritage Crafts, the number on the critically endangered list has risen from 62 to 72 in the last two years, while the endangered list has gone from 84 to 93.

But there is a glimmer of hope, with no new crafts having become extinct since the last time the list was published two years ago and some resurgent crafts, including hazel basket-making and side-saddle making.

Mary Lewis, who led the research, said rising operational costs, a lack of structured training and mounting market pressures were placing unsustainable strain on many crafts that depend on expert hand skills. She said trades such as cut-crystal glassmaking, pewter working and organ building were becoming vulnerable.