Tytherington Beech in winter 2007

Beech is a Straight grained hardwood with an even texture. Its density depends on local climatic and soil conditions.  Depending on treatment, the colour of Beech can vary from a white pink to a reddish brown.

     info and image directly below  from http://www.slhardwoods.com

English White Beech Fagus Sylvatica -Freshly cut, English White Beech is whitish to light pink in colour. is a good turnery wood, it is also suitable for furniture, cabinet making and various aspects of joinery

 

 

 

 

 

Beech absorbs moisture relatively easily and will need sealing with wax polishes, oils, varnishes etc. This abilty to absorb moisture however increases its durability in persistent wet weather. It can be softened with steam and bent to shape in jigs to create bent wood furniture.

 info and image directly below  from http://www.slhardwoods.com

European Steamed Beech has similar properties to English WhiteBeech but it owes its unusual colouring to the way it is steam dried as opposed to kiln dried.

 

 

 

 

 

Its close grain structure lends itself to its use in wooden cutlery items that need to be cleaned after use. It is also used in the manufacture of kitchen units, kitchen tops  and chopping boards. It can be turned on a lathe to produce turned items such as bedposts, staircase members and bowls.

 

Beech does not splinter easily and is often used in children’s toys.

http://www.unpaintedfurniture.ca

 

 

 

 

Beech stool , ladle and beech handled potato masher. 2007

 

Davoser 90 - Traditional Tobog 

 

 

 

http://www.activetoys.co.uk

 
 

The Beech Tree’s Petition  Thomas Campbell (1774-1844)

 

"Oh, leave this barren spot to me!
Spare, woodman, spare the beechen tree!
Though bud and flow’ret never grow
My dark unwarming shade below;
Nor summer bud perfume the dew,
Of rosy blush, or yellow hue;
Nor fruits of autumn, blossoms born,
My green and glossy leaves adorn,
Nor murmuring tribes from me derive
Th’ ambrosial amber of the hive;
Yet leave this barren spot to me
Spare, woodman, spare the beechen tree!

Since youthful lovers in my shade
Their vows of truth and rapture made,
And on my trunks’ surviving frame
Carved many a long forgotten name ...
As love’s own altar, honour me:
Spare, woodman, spare the beechen tree."

  

CHILD'S SONG IN SPRING  Edith Nesbit [1858-1924]
The silver birch is a dainty lady,
She wears a satin gown;
The elm tree makes the old churchyard shady,
She will not live in town.

The English oak is a sturdy fellow,
He gets his green coat late;
The willow is smart in a suit of yellow,
While brown the beech trees wait.

Such a gay green gown God gives the larches -
As green as He is good!
The hazels hold up their arms for arches
When Spring rides through the wood.

The chestnut's proud, and the lilac's pretty,
The poplar's gentle and tall,
But the plane tree's kind to the poor dull city -
I love him best of all!