WHAT WOOD ARE YOU SITTING ON?

An exciting new event ‘Chairs 2004’ is coming to the Forestry Commission’s Westonbirt Arboretum in Tetbury, Gloucestershire on May Bank Holiday 1 May – 3 May 2004.

Over 150 chairmakers from all over the world are expected at the world famous arboretum, which has also made a name for itself as a leading events venue for inspirational new exhibitions connected with its tree heritage.

A fascinating cross section of styles from all over Britain, America and Europe will be on display in marquees and in Westonbirt’s Great Oak Hall and these will include some very special chairs from America including one made by craftsman George Blake, a Native American from California.

The chairs exhibited will provide an insight into the past with museum and antique pieces from the Cotswold Antique Dealers Association and the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. The Trade and Associates Marquee will have various display stands from organisations including Woodland Heritage.

Interested members of the public will have a chance to view and buy the chairs on display as well as learn about their history and origins. A few selected chairs will be auctioned on Monday afternoon by Christopher Claxton-Stevens, who until recently was the Master of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers and now heads the team at Norman Adams in London.

Entry to the exhibition is included in Westonbirt’s normal admission price of £6 for adults, £5 concessions, family £12.50 and children £1 or free if under 5.

‘An added bonus for anybody coming to Westonbirt for ‘Chairs 2004’ is the chance to experience the beauty of Westonbirt in spring,’ said curator Simon Toomer. ‘Visitors who walk round the arboretum can enjoy the beautiful sea of bluebells in Silk Wood and the old Arboretum or the flowering cherries in the Cherry Glade. Some of our camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas will also be in bloom.’

Westonbirt Arboretum is situated three miles south west of Tetbury on the A433 (Tetbury to Bath Road). 10 miles north east of Junction 18 of the M4 and south east of junction 13 of the M5.

For further information on CHAIRS 2004, go to www.Chairs2004.org.uk or contact Chloe Darling on 01285 642476 or e-mail: chairsin2004@aol.com.
For information about other events or details of prices at other times of the year tel: 01666 880 220.

To arrange a visit or to request photographs contact Matthew Haynes at Westonbirt Arboretum 01666 881 206.

Notes to Editors

The National Arboreta

Westonbirt Arboretum is renowned worldwide for its tree and shrub collection. Today the collection contains around 18,000 specimens in total, including almost half of those woody plants known to grow in the temperate climate zone covering some 600 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Indeed, unlike many arboreta, Westonbirt’s originator -Robert Holford - laid out his tree garden according to aesthetic appeal rather than scientific or geographical reasons. Its importance is recognised by the English Heritage’s ‘Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historical Interest’ as a Grade 1 Listed Landscape. His legacy is open for all to enjoy - a beautiful, relaxing and unique day out amongst some of the tallest, oldest and rarest trees and shrubs in the country.


Bedgebury Pinetum in Goudhurst, Kent was originally the pleasure gardens for what is now Bedgebury School and was developed as part of a joint venture between the Forestry Commission and Kew to save the conifers threatened by pollution in London.

Started in1925, this marvellous collection has developed into the "most comprehensively complete" collection on one site in the world, the with over 7,000 specimen trees on the 80 Hectare site. These trees represent coniferous species throughout the temperate world in all their variety of size, shape and colour.

Originally designed by William Dallimore, a notable botanist for Kew, the Pinetum enjoys historic links with Gardens both at Kew and Wakehurst.

The collection includes rare, historically important and endangered trees and is home to some 91 vulnerable or critically endangered species and five NCCPG National Collections, Yew, Juniper, and Lawson Cypress, Leyland Cypress, Thuja.

Bedgebury boasts the tallest tree in Kent, which is aptly named ‘The Old Man of Kent’.