Learn the Art of Straw Corn Doll Making at the Home Farm
Why not try your hand at making your own traditional corn dolls and maidens from the heritage long straw grown on the Wimpole Estate?
The course includes learning how to:
- Prepare the sheaves of straw for making straw dolls
- Plait and make a Gentleman’s favour
- Make a Welsh fan
- Make spirals
- Finally if time – make a corn maiden
The cost is £60 per person and is available on the following date . This course is for a maximum of 10 participants only, from 10am–4pm. Tea & coffee are provided, lunch can be purchased from the Home farm restaurant. Please wear suitable clothing and boots and arrive at 9.30am for a prompt 10am start
Squarehead Master wheat tied in the traditional way
A ‘From Sheaf to Bread’ course will be held on the same weekend as the corn dolly making course, . The cost for this course is £75 per person and is for a maximum of 6 participants only.
This is a first! You will have to use a traditional flail made at Wimpole to thrash the sheaves, remove the straw and then winnow the residue. Its not finished there either, you now have to clean the grain and take out unwanted weed seeds & infected wheat grains. Then, provided the grain is of the right moisture content, it is ground. All these processes will involve manual implements and machines (hand powered) and what you will have at the end of the day is your flour to take home to make into bread. We will demonstrate sieving the flour and preparing the dough for the oven. If interested email simon.damant@nationaltrust.org.uk
From 10am–4pm. Tea, coffee and lunch will be provided. Please wear suitable clothing and boots and arrive at 9.30am for a prompt 10am start.
Please email simon.damant@nationaltrust if interested
Wympole & Wratsworth 