The Great Table

Early in 1980, the idea of making an extremely large English oak table was conceived by three independent furniture makers. This idea further developed into the project of making possibly the longest English oak table on record. The result was a table over 40 feet (12 metres), with sixteen turned legs, carved frieze and leg brackets, stretchers all round, made in the traditional manner in the workshops of Tudor Oak. The timber used was seasoned English oak grown in Kent and Sussex, felled and cut many years ago; in fact, just after the Second World War. To make the top one whole log twenty two feet long (over 6.5 m) was used. On Saturday, August 23rd 1980, the table was used for a Mediaeval Feast in the Great barn of Knebworth House, near Stevenage, Hertfordshire by kind permission of the Knebworth Estates. The Feast was attended by many well-known people, including members of aristocracy.