Our blacksmithing courses and blacksmithing experience days are suitable for absolute beginners (adults, and teenagers from the age of 14 upwards*) or for metalworkers seeking to gain a basic understanding or improvement of iron-forging techniques. Classes are limited to 8 students, each with their own forge, anvil, leg vice and necessary tools. We’ve been running courses now for more than 26 years.

Based right next to our world-famous Fire and Iron Gallery in a pleasant semi-rural, historic setting, the courses are run and managed by Lucy’s son, Tom Quinnell. Our family blacksmithing business has been running continuously since 1932, but our courses first took place back in 1996 and were set up by Richard Quinnell. Richard was a prime mover in the 1970s revival of the craft of artist blacksmithing in the UK, and he was awarded the MBE in 1989 for his contribution. Tom is Richard’s grandson, and he is now the 5th generation to work at the site. After a successful 15-year career with Mercedes-Benz, Tom returned to work at Rowhurst Forge where he grew up and learned the craft from a very young age.

The emphasis within our courses is on learning the seven basic techniques of hot forging during the making of decorative and/or useful objects; participants can expect to make several such objects to take home at the end of the course. Participants are encouraged to discover the properties of hot iron, with the sympathetic expert guidance of our excellent tutors.

The work rate can be intensive, and you should expect to become quite pleasantly tired by the end of each day.

★★★★★ - Check out our five-star google reviews here. Past students have described the experience as 'amazing' and 'mind blowing', and the satisfaction of proud makers showing off their achievements at the end of the weekend is very evident. With our decades of experience, and over 1700 happy students to date, we can confidently guarantee that you will enjoy yourself enormously!

Giving a course as a gift? A blacksmithing course makes an amazing and unforgettably unique present for a birthday, Christmas, retirement, or anniversary (6th is Iron; 11th is Steel - why not do a course together?) - we can supply you with a voucher that can be either printed at home or gift-wrapped and delivered via Royal Mail.