Oak table

Selling CE Primary School

Year 6 pupils (10 to 11 years old) from Selling CE Primary School in Kent were fascinated by the idea that the Temeraire was about to be broken up and the oak reused for various purposes, including the making of furniture.

A school parent who was a trained carpenter worked with the children one afternoon a week for a term. First, they visited a local sawmill to source the oak. Then, having researched tables of the period, they designed their own. They decided together on the shape of the legs, the finish of the table top and the choice of stain and varnish.

The children were taught traditional carpentry techniques. They became skilled at using saws and chisels, and at constructing mortise and tenon joints. The only concession to modern technology was the use of an electric lathe, which they used to craft the table legs.

© Selling CE Primary School. Photo: The National Gallery, London.