FAQs

To many outside the funeral industry, choosing a coffin can feel overwhelming. There are simply so many different materials, colours and shapes to choose from.

Musgrove Willows only make the highest quality willow coffins. These are woven here on our Somerset farm with willow grown in our fields. If you require any further help or guidance, please get in touch.

I am not a Funeral Director. Can I purchase directly from you?

We would always encourage members of the public to purchase a coffin through a Registered Funeral Director. When a loved one dies, the professional help of a Funeral Director can be invaluable. If you experience any difficulty in obtaining a coffin from our range or you are arranging a funeral yourself, please contact us on 01278 691105 or email coffins@musgrovewillows.co.uk. We will do all that we can to help.

How do I order a coffin?

Order online or by telephone. To order via our website, a Funeral Director will first need to register. This online process only has to be done once and takes just a couple of minutes. It’s the quickest and simplest way to order.

Alternatively, call our friendly team on 01278 691105 and they will complete an Order Form with you.

Can a family help to weave a coffin for a loved one?

Yes. Family members are welcome to visit us and help weave the coffin chosen for their loved one. In these instances, we need to liaise with the Funeral Director or lead family member to organise a suitable time and date. Please be aware that a little more time is required to achieve this in advance of the funeral date. The earlier you can let us know the better.

Many find the weaving process cathartic. It provides an opportunity to make a really positive contribution. More and more families are coming here to weave and make special keepsake items.  

Families unable to visit us to help weave a coffin can use our live streaming service to watch the coffin being made. Please contact us to make arrangements.

How can I ensure my wishes are met and I receive a Musgrove Willow coffin?

Our brochure and Order Form are both available in a printed and electronic format. You could complete an Order Form and/or leave explicit instructions with a copy of our brochure alongside other important paperwork (e.g. Your Will or Pre-Paid Funeral Plan). Please contact us if you would like a printed copy of our brochure.

How quickly can you make and deliver a coffin?

We aim to weave and dispatch a coffin in 72 hours from receipt of a confirmed order. Please be aware that a little more time is required if a family is participating in the weaving process or in the case of complex, bespoke designs.

Once you have chosen a willow coffin, take the information to your Funeral Director. They will then place the order directly with us. An anticipated delivery date will be given and we will start making your coffin. We will need to liaise with the Funeral Director to ensure that your requirements are met and that your coffin arrives safely and in a timely fashion.

How strong are your willow coffins?

All our coffins have been weight tested to carry 191 kg (30 stone). The quality of our coffins has been recognised with numerous awards.

In 2017, Musgrove Willows received accreditation from the Funeral Furnishing Manufacturer’s Association. Our coffins have passed rigorous testing for weight, strength and environmental impact and are suitable for any burial or cremation.

What size coffin should I order?

We recommend ordering a coffin which is two inches longer and two inches wider than the deceased.

Can you accommodate very large sizes?

Yes. We can make any size coffin or casket to order. Please be aware that a coffin over 6 ft 4 inches long and/or 26 inches wide is classed as bespoke and will therefore incur a small additional charge.

Are your willow coffins suitable for cremation?

All our willow coffins and caskets are suitable for burial, woodland and green burial and cremation sites. Independent testing has proved that, in a cremation, a willow coffin is more environmentally friendly than either wood or cardboard.

How do I find a Funeral Director?

Please view our Registered Suppliers section.

How environmentally friendly are your willow coffins?

Musgrove Willows practice a carbon neutral policy. Our team work sensitively with the environment, using good land management to maintain a natural balance of wildlife and high quality crop production.  All the willow used in our coffins has been grown on our farm.

Willow absorbs carbon as it grows. Willow rods can be harvested every year and the ‘stump’ the rods grow from can keep producing rods for 60 years!

When the willow is harvested, we process and store it on site. The coffins are made here by a skilled team of in-house craftsmen. Willow offcuts are turned into keepsakes, charcoal or burnt as fuel. From planting to weaving – it all takes place here.  

Only natural dyes are used to colour our willow and no fossil fuels are used in any of the steaming or boiling processes. Rainwater is harvested and used to wash, steam and boil our willow.

Plastic sheeting is NOT used to line a coffin. Instead, a natural, absorbent material is used. Our coffins are plastic free.

Hay from our fields is used in the coffin mattresses and pillows.

How long has Musgrove Willows been making coffins?

We have been weaving willow coffins on a commercial basis for over a decade. That being said, the Musgrove family has been involved in growing and selling willow since the 1920s. Our family heritage is incredibly important to us.

Can I customise a coffin?

All the coffins in our range can be customised. Different parts of the coffin can be woven in different colours of willow. In addition to steamed, antique buff, buff, natural and white willow, we also use natural dyes to create the colours; red, orange, yellow, dark green, light green, dark blue, light blue, lilac, purple, light pink, fuschia pink, dark grey, light grey, burgundy, black and turquoise.

To find out more about the different processes we use to create colours and textures, please view our Guide to Willow.

Please be aware that as this is a natural product the colour and/or finish of your chosen coffin may differ slightly from the images shown on our website and in other promotional material.

Can you accommodate special coffin requests?

We do all that we can to help families create something special. Our skilled team has incorporated willow bicycles, golf clubs and tennis racquets into designs and even woven a boat shaped coffin. Please be aware that bespoke designs can take a little longer to make and there is an additional charge.

Can I order a bespoke liner?

Yes, our natural calico liners can also be natural dyed in a wide range of different colours. These are red, orange, yellow, dark green, light green, dark blue, light blue, lilac, purple, light pink, fuschia pink, grey, burgundy, black and turquoise. As this process is done by hand, please be aware that the colour may differ slightly from the images shown on our website and in other promotional material.

Do I need to order a name plate/plaque?

Most crematoriums ask that a coffin has a name plate.  This should state the full legal name of the deceased. Usually the date of death, age and a brief message are also included.

Which shape coffin should I choose?

Our curved end and traditional shape coffins can be woven in any size. Our curved end coffin tapers, so the head end of the coffin is wider than the foot end. If you would like a more unusual shape coffin, our skilled weavers have previously made other shapes which include a boat!

How do I show a customised design to other family members, friends or a Funeral Director?

Simply use our website to customise one of our coffins and then either print off your finished design or email it.

How do I calculate the external dimensions of the coffin?

To work out the external dimensions, simply add 4 inches to the length and 6 inches to the width of the willow coffin you have selected.

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