Bill was born and bred - and lived his whole life - in Woolsery and was a farmer in East Putford before retiring. His love of wood and turning came from pottering around in his grandfather's workshop as a child. Bill's grandfather was the village carpenter in Woolsery and Bill would skip school to help make coffins for ten shillings.

When he retired Bill returned to making things from wood and especially turning wood on the lathe, making a variety of things from bowls to clocks in traditional and contemporary styles, referring to the books he inherited from his grandfather.

bill ashton

wood turning