Fallen Trees: A Cornish Story

The Cornish landscape was left permanently changed overnight when Storm Goretti hit on 8 January 2026. Many of our most iconic and cherished trees were felled or damaged by the hurricane-force winds that caused so much damage and disruption to Cornwall.

Charlie Thacker (who can be found on Instagram at @thackerwoodcraft ) decided to create something unique and meaningful from some of the trees that were sadly lost as a result of the storm.

Charlie has a background in woodworking and carpentry, beginning his career learning about woodland management. He has a deep appreciation for trees, both as a sustainable and regenerative material to work with, and also for what they mean to people and communities.

Trees can be landmarks, meeting places, places to play and explore. They inspire artists, writers and scientists. When a tree is lost, a whole tiny ecosystem is affected. Hundreds of individual trees, and wooded areas across Cornwall were rendered unrecognisable in the wake of Goretti.

Charlie has sourced timber from all over Cornwall for this project, where he uses a lengthy and labour-intensive process to create beautiful prints from the rings of each tree. Each one is unique and tells a story about the life of the tree internally. Alongside this, some people-focussed stories of Goretti emerged – where the spirit of Cornish resilience and community really shone through alongside memories and fondness for the fallen trees.

The prints will be displayed at the Gardeners’ House alongside stories of some individual trees, and of Storm Goretti.