H Tredwin and son

Solid Oak Coffins

Five Generations of Funeral Directors — Five Generations of Coffin Makers

We are proud to be one of the last funeral directors in the UK to offer our own handmade solid oak coffins, crafted in the workshop beside our Chapel of Rest by Timmy and Nick Tredwin.

Here at H Tredwin and Son, we are very proud to say that we are one of the last Solid Oak coffin makers in the UK. As with the funeral directing profession, the skill of making a coffin has been passed down from generation to generation of Tredwins.

Here at H Tredwin and Son, we are very proud to say that we are one of the last Solid Oak coffin makers in the UK. As with the funeral directing profession, the skill of making a coffin has been passed down from generation to generation of Tredwins.

While the art of making a coffin would have been known by all funeral directors back in the day, the convenience (both in time and cost) that comes with buying in ready made coffins has meant many have ceased offering this beautifully bespoke option or if they do it has a ginormous price tag.

As funeral directors we now have a vast amount to offer our bereaved families in terms of coffin choice. From willow to wool, plastic to bamboo we have such a scope to choose from, the material all coffins would have been made from has fallen by the way side.

Historically coffins were always made from solid oak, with the first evidence of a solid wood coffin dating back to 5000 BC and continued up until the world wars when wood was in short supply and we were desperate for any material to fashion together a casket. The traditional solid oak coffin was strong, durable and used to act as a sheild to protect the body when buried. However today with cremations being 75% more popular than burial there isn't so much need for a protective layer, simply something to carry them to their final destination. But what happens if you're in that 25% and want to be buried, you certainly wont want to be in a woollen coffin.