About
I left school in 1989 not really knowing what I wanted to do as a career but I was offered a job by a friend at a local lighting company making Wrought Iron Lamps and Light Fittings. This mainly involved making the components and then brazing or oxy/acetylene welding them together into the relevant style of fitting. I worked there for 3 years but decided to leave when we started to buy in most, if not all of the components.
I approached David Wright, Blacksmith at the Forge in Chiddingfold and asked if he needed an apprentice. He was doing lovely traditional ironwork to a very high standard and was doing quite a lot of restoration work in London for a firm of cast iron consultants, Marsh Bros Engineering.
They had the ongoing contract to replace all of the cast iron railings in Kensington Palace Gardens, among others. We did a wide range of jobs in the forge including gates, railings, fireirons, tools, gate and window furniture, repairs and restorations, all done with traditional processes where possible, if time and budget allowed. We also used to go and run the forge at the Weald & Downland Museum in Singleton.
The museum ran a building conservation weekend which got lots of the different building trades involved in conserving old buildings together. This cross over of information in the differing trades was hugely interesting and informative. Unfortunately, by the time Dave and I decided to formally set up an apprenticeship in Blacksmithing, CoSiRA the apprenticeship and training provider had just closed.
As the Forge in Chiddingfold is situated on the village green which has the main Petworth to Guildford Road running past it we had a lot of passing farriers who would stop between calls for a cup of tea or coffee. I found the crossover of our two trades very interesting. Whilst visiting his daughter in the village Edgar Stern FWCF MBE from Yalding in Kent spent a week with us in the forge and was quite persuasive in farriery as a possible career alternative.
Image right: Graham Richards, Robert Trimmer, David Wright and David Mitchell.
Four generations of Blacksmiths and Farriers operate from Chiddingfold Forge.
After a couple of days out with different Farriers I decided to follow Farriery as a career path. Finding an apprenticeship in Farriery was no easy task so I decided to try the Army as an option. I passed all of the interviews, medical and fitness tests with a view to joining the Household Cavalry as a Farrier.
On receiving my joining instructions, I found that I had been put into the Royal Engineers to become a blacksmith; at 5’ 6” I was considered too short for the Household Cavalry. As I had put in so much time and effort, I thought I would give the Engineers a try.
Whilst it was great fun I decided to leave after basic training and passing off the square at Bassingbourn Barracks to pursue farriery as my career. I finally found Andy Tolladay AWCF who offered me an apprenticeship. I started with him in 1998 and qualified in 2002, achieving my DipWCF and becoming a registered Farrier.
Andy was a superb Farrier and a very open-hearted teacher; he encouraged me to compete in apprentice shoemaking competitions and allowed me free access to the forge at any time. When I had finished my time with Andy, I returned to the forge in Chiddingfold and shared it with Dave Wright again.
I was very busy shoeing but if time allowed, I would take on Blacksmithing commissions and also help Dave with work he was involved in. We did several large commissions together at this time. After 4 years I decided that I would like to take my further exams in farriery, passing my AWCF and a Foundation Degree in farriery in 2009, then my FWCF and a BSc (Hons) in farriery in 2012.
After 25 years of mainly shoeing, I decided to pursue Ironwork and Blacksmithing full time again. I was being offered more and more work and commissions so it could become a viable full-time business.
Companies We Work With
Marsh Bros Engineering Services
Richard and his late Father, David provide cast iron, foundry and engineering services for conservation, existing or new projects nationwide. We have supplied forged componants and on-site services to them on restoration projects.
Oakwrights of Frensham
Rob and his team of craftsmen provide structural advice and construction services in all manner of timber-framed buildings from new projects to heritage conservation, restoration and repair. I provide metalwork solutions usually in the form of traditional ironwork to Rob’s specifications, all made bespoke and in keeping with the appropriate age and style of the property.
Elkham Shepherd's Huts
Dominic and his team build individually crafted shepards huts of a superb quality and finish. I make and supply a range of forged fixtures and fittings, all bespoke to each hut.
Sarah Dove, Saddler
Sarah is a classically trained saddler making the finest quality english saddlery and leatherwork. She makes the miniature saddles and leatherwork for stephenson bros rocking horses. I used to shoe for Sarah and she asked if I could make the miniature saddle trees for her.