Heligan Sheep Skin Rugs
- 4th Oct 2019
The Lost Gardens of Heligan is a working garden and estate that celebrates the traditional methods and breeds of a bygone era, for example, we treasure our native and rare breeds of sheep and have implemented a successful conservation breeding programme which increases numbers of the Devon and Cornwall Long Wool breed.
Our sheep are also part of a real estate experience where they contribute to a low impact grazing programme to manage the landscape - this is their primary role on site. In this way, they can directly benefit our local eco systems and the biodiversity that we at Heligan restore, preserve and treasure.
We do not hide the fact that once our sheep are no longer able to perform the roles required of them, we go on to produce them as high welfare, grass fed meat for The Heligan Kitchen. We want our visitors to learn where their food comes from and promote making educated and responsible choices.
After many discussions about waste products from our animals, we were determined to use as much of the animal as possible as according to the 2015 Sheep Industry Report, of sheep that are eaten in the UK, we tan less than one in two hundred resulting in most sheep skins being disposed as hazardous animal waste after meat production. Our wool shear is already turned into quality twine for use in our gardens and is also available in our Heligan shop. Our conversations then led to the wonderful team at Devonia.
Devonia is Britain’s oldest established sheepskin tannery and still employs all of its original processing techniques. Locally sourced lambskins are tanned by the company to produce luxurious sheepskin rugs, making full use of the animal skin.
The combination of using traditional techniques, highly skilled craftsmen and local lambskins makes Devonia a great partnership for Heligan in producing the first offering of our very own rare breed sheep skin rugs.
We are delighted that we have been able to create products that are not only one of a kind pieces but are also very beautiful. They come straight from the Heligan estate and are hand crafted by the team with skill, love and respect.
Our Heligan Sheep Skin Rugs are now available to buy exclusively in our Heligan shop.
