Just a few snaps I took on my phone today during my visit to the Weald and Downland Musuem in West Sussex. My phone's camera is lame so the pics don't do the place any justice but I thought I'd share them nonetheless. The museum is a great place and I'd recommend it if you're anywhere near by. The smiths were making a hinge for a gate. I think all the staff including the smiths were volunteers. The bellows are out of shot at the back.

 

Here's a link to the museum, it's an open air site with 25+ buildings and it also runs courses.

http://www.wealddown.co.uk/

Very nice traditional shop, appreciate the pictures. Will see if I can get there next time I'm over in the UK.

Thanks for the pics Kurgan, it's always good to see how shops are set up.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Cool place.

Greetings Kurgan,

 

Thanx for the cool pictures...  Neet traditional shop with lots of tools.

 

Forge on and make beautiful things..

Jim

Thanks for posting Kurgan it sure looks interestibg- however with so little  clutter, are you sure it's a smithy? :D

 

Ian

Yeah it's a great museum. Over the way was an old brick making workshop, I'd always wondered if clinker had any uses, the info board said it was used in brick making.

It is an interesting place. We had a BABA AGM there a few years back, I took some photos of these regular volunteers who were running a scheme for kids (of any age) to have a go.

The medieval timber framed buildings and the horse drawn tipping muck cart were the things that struck me the most. Well worth a visit if you get a chance.

Thanks for the reminder Kurgan.

Further to our PM discussion, the blacksmith in your photos could be Alan Puddick, can't see his face to be sure. Alan did a lot of the fire welded eighteenth century style work at Dick Quinnell's. He is/was one of the finest smiths I know in that idiom. He may well have been involved with teaching Peter P.

Alan.