11/06/2026
Staying Alive exhibitor Sue Morgan () is a withy pot maker and teacher based in Hope Cove, South Devon.
She started basketmaking in 1992, when an elderly local fisherman showed her how to make traditional willow crab pots. In 1996, she married a local crab fisherman, and further developed an interest in Hope Cove and the traditional techniques of fishing for crab and lobster using willow pots.
As her knowledge and experience grew, she realised the traditional methods of pot making had been supplanted by modern materials and techniques so quickly, that there was an imminent danger of the old craft skills disappearing altogether. Hence, while she makes other types of baskets, she has concentrated on producing and teaching crab pot making.
Withy pots have been depicted in paintings for over 400 years, though the craft itself is undoubtedly much older. Knowledge of the craft was rarely written down; instead, it was passed through generations, often from parent to child. Archaeological findings of fish traps preserved in peat bogs hint at its deep history.
Over centuries, the design of withy pots evolved alongside fishing practices. Early traps were set by hand in shallow waters at low tide. As boats enabled fishing further offshore, pots needed to be larger and more robust to withstand tides and the seabed, yet still light enough to haul from the water.
Fully and rapidly biodegradable, withy pots typically lasted just one fishing season, requiring frequent repair and complete replacement each winter. Unless fishermen maintained their own willow beds, materials had to be purchased - often at significant cost.
Until the late 1960s, withy pots were used along coastlines throughout the UK. Their decline was rapid with the introduction of wire and plastic pots, which offered greater durability and longevity.
Withy pot making, while endangered, is currently experiencing a revival, with new makers helping to reverse its decline.
Staying Alive continues until 4 July 2026.
Open Tues-Sat (& Sun 14 June), 10am-5pm
Free entry
📍MAKE Southwest, Bovey Tracey, Devon, UK
