Cornish Myths & Legends Storytelling Chair

This Cornish Myths & Legends Storytelling Chair was created as a bespoke commission for Penzance Library, designed to bring local folklore to life for children, families, and visitors alike.

Carved from solid oak and illustrated by hand, the chair tells a layered Cornish story. At its heart sits The Mermaid of Zennor, framed by scenes of Cormoran the Giant, Cornish piskies, ships, sea creatures, and winding Celtic knotwork. Every panel was carefully considered, allowing multiple stories to be discovered over time — a chair that invites curiosity, conversation, and imagination.

The form of the chair is deliberately generous and welcoming. Branch-like arms rise upwards, grounding the chair in the natural landscape, while carved details at the base reveal playful characters hidden among mushrooms and woodland forms. Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, this chair now lives in the newly refurbished garden at Penzance Library, where it has already become a much-loved focal point.

This particular chair was commissioned by Cornwall Libraries, with designs shared and approved before carving began. Feedback after delivery described the craftsmanship and detail as “100%”, and the chair has since been featured by the library community.

While this chair is now part of Penzance Library’s story, it also showcases what is possible. We regularly work with libraries, schools, councils, and private clients to create fully bespoke storytelling and memorial chairs, each rooted in local history, folklore, or personal meaning.

If you have a story you’d like to see carved into wood, we’d love to help bring it to life.