A Chair That Tells Cornwall’s Stories: The Making of the Cornish Myths & Legends Story Chair

Some chairs are made to be sat on.
Others are made to be gathered around.

This Cornish Myths & Legends Storytelling Chair was created as a bespoke commission for Penzance Library, designed to bring local folklore, landscape, and imagination into a newly refurbished garden space. From the very beginning, this was a collaborative project rooted in place, story, and community.

The journey began with a simple but inspiring question from Cornwall Libraries: could we design a storytelling chair inspired by Cornish myths and legends? A chair that would live outdoors, welcome children and families, and quietly hold the stories of Cornwall within its carved surfaces.

From stories to sketches

Working closely with the library team, we explored a rich tapestry of Cornish folklore. Among the stories chosen were The Mermaid of Zennor, Cormoran the Giant, Cornish piskies, lost lands, ships, saints, and sea creatures. These ideas were shared, discussed, and refined before a single piece of oak was carved.

Early sketches helped shape how the stories would sit together — not as a single narrative, but as a layered scene that could be discovered over time. A child might notice the mermaid first. Another might spot the giant on the hillside. Someone else might be drawn to the ships or the fish swimming below. The chair was designed to reward looking closely.

Carving a place to pause

The chair itself is carved from solid oak, with branch-like uprights that echo woodland forms and anchor the piece firmly in nature. Celtic knotwork runs up the sides, framing the illustrated back panel, while playful carved figures sit low down, waiting to be discovered by those who kneel, crouch, or look again.

Every element was shaped, carved, and illustrated by hand in our Mid-Wales workshop. The intention was never to create something overly polished, but something warm, tactile, and human — a chair that feels as though it has grown from the landscape it now inhabits.

Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, the chair now sits in the garden at Penzance Library, where it has quickly become a focal point for storytelling, conversation, and quiet moments.

A chair that belongs to its community

After delivery, we were deeply moved by the response from the library team. The chair was described as “amazing”, with the craftsmanship and detail praised as “100%”. Seeing it welcomed so warmly — and shared by the community — is always the most meaningful part of what we do.

While this particular chair now belongs to Penzance Library, it also represents what is possible. We regularly work with libraries, schools, councils, and private clients to create fully bespoke storytelling chairs, each rooted in local history, folklore, or personal meaning.

You can view the chair itself here:
👉 Cornish Myths & Legends Storytelling Chair
https://freerangingdesigns.com/products/conrish-library-chair

If you have a story you’d like to see carved into wood — whether drawn from local legends, a place you love, or a story you want to pass on — we’d love to help bring it to life.