Step back in time and feel the heat of the forge. Located in the historic Amberley Museum, Chalk Pit Forge offers a rare opportunity to learn the ancient art of blacksmithing in a 19th-century workshop. Whether you’re a curious beginner or looking to master professional skills, this is your chance to turn raw steel into a lasting legacy.

Why Choose Chalk Pit Forge?

• Exclusive One-to-One Tuition: You get the forge and the tutor’s full attention. Just you, the fire, and 25+ years of expertise from master blacksmith Alex Smith.

• Total Creative Freedom: Don't just follow a script. Choose from a vast list of projects—from Rams-head pokers and dragon door knockers to elegant bird baths—or bring your own design to life.

• The Full Experience: From fire management to "striking while the iron is hot," you’ll learn the authentic techniques, such as forging, twisting, and fire-welding.

• All-Inclusive: Take what you make! Your day includes all materials, safety gear, and a hearty lunch to keep your energy up.

Lessons & Courses

• One-Day Blacksmith Experience: The perfect introduction. Please scroll down to see what you can choose to make.

• Multi-Day Courses: Deep dive into the craft with bookings available from 2 to 20 days for more complex projects like garden arches or furniture.

• Shared Days: Bring a friend to share the experience—work as a team or take turns at the anvil.

• Group Sessions: Please visit our group courses page. Book one slot in a group or book an entire group for team-building, education, stags, or hens (available at our Brinsbury College location).

Give the Gift of Fire

Our Gift Vouchers make unforgettable presents for birthdays or anniversaries. Valid for one year, they offer the recipient the chance to step out of the modern world and into the smithy.

Plan Your Visit

• Location: Chalk Pit Forge, Amberley Museum, West Sussex, BN18 9LT (2-minute walk from Amberley Station).

• Age: Open to ages 11+ (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult).

• Booking: Our calendar fills up fast—often six months in advance! Blacksmith Experiences are run in March, April, September and October and are generally run from Wednesday to Saturday. If you would like a lesson in another month, please get in touch to check availability.

• To Book Your Forge Day or Purchase a Gift Voucher Contact: Alex Smith | 07793 679788 | alex@chalkpitforge.co.uk

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Quick Details for Visitors

• Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Wear: Old clothes (cotton/denim), sturdy shoes/boots. No synthetics!

• Visit our Solo Gallery page - For images of what students have created.

• More in-depth details below

Above. Alex Smith, your tutor, bashing a bit of hot metal at the anvil. The forge and the anvil pictured are the same ones you'll use on the day of your lesson.

Below. Rams head Poker and Tongs, made by a student on a two-day blacksmith experience.

You'll have the workshop and my guidance all to yourself, so you'll be able to get stuck in at your own pace! Sharing a day with a friend is also possible for an extra £40. This means taking turns, as there's only one forge and anvil.

One day = £325.

Two-day courses or more = £320 per day.

Lunch at the cafe is included in the price.

Minus £10 per day if you want to bring your packed lunch.

The course revolves around what you would like to learn and the level of skill you're at.

Learn to manage your fire and shape the metal using the hammer and anvil while trying some of the following techniques: splitting, forging, bending, twisting, punching, fire welding, heat treating, dishing and joining the mild steel while making something from the Day Course List below, or you can come up with your own idea as long as I think we can do it in the time.

Example: Make a Rams head poker - Learn to forge, twist, fire weld, bend and split mild steel!  This takes from 5 to 8 hours.

Make any of the following items, or, if you have an idea of your own, let me know. This could include a kitchen knife, rams head poker, toasting fork, brush, shovel, tongs, chestnut roaster, fire stand, curtain rails, curtain tie backs, pots n pan wrack, hooks, candlestick holder, handles, brackets, shoehorn, letter holder, paper-knife, nails, key rings, bottle opener, welly holder, boot scraper, door knocker, plant pot holders, hanging basket bracket, sculpture, camping/cooking tripod stand, plant climber, bird feeder, birdbath and t-light holders. Course length = 9 am to 5 pm = £325

Please note: When making a few of the above, the materials are included in the course price. You may be charged extra if you use a lot of materials. Also, if you need a specific material for your bespoke project, then I will need to know beforehand; otherwise, I have a large selection on hand.

Only one forge and an anvil are available, but two people can share a day and take turns for an extra £40. This works well for people who aren't used to doing physical work or want to share the experience with a friend.

In a shared day you can make one of the following items each: Simple poker/turning poker or toasting fork or brush, Curtain rail, Bulls head hooks, Candlestick holder, Wall candlestick holder, Snail letter holder, Nails, ammonite key ring, bottle opener, hooks, handles, curtain tie backs, toilet roll holder, paper knife, shoe horn, Boot Scraper, Bird feeder, T-light holders, A lily.

Or you can work on the same project and make one of the following: Hanging basket bracket, Obelisk/plant climber, Lily bird feeder, Bird bath, Welly holder, Camping tripod, Fire accessory stand, Book ends, Boot scraper with a handle. Course length = 9 am to 5 pm = £365.

The above price includes lunch for both people. Minus £20 without lunch

Spend more time working on your project. Each day is from 9 am to 5 pm. Get to work on more elaborate details. You can make a few things from the day courses list, or you also have the choice of making a handrail, obelisk, tools, sign bracket, fire set, log basket, hinges, curtain rail with brackets, a side table or a window grill. Course cost = £640.

One to twenty-day courses - bespoke courses tailored around you.

Got a bespoke project of your own?

Need to learn toolmaking for your own forge?

Fancy making your own sculpture, brazier, spit roaster, fire basket, gate, railing, window box, fire pit, archway, bench or any other piece of interior or exterior furniture?

Let me know what you want to achieve and book a time in the forge. Course cost = £320 per day.

Past bespoke courses include:

A 2-day course making a swallow sculpture for a garden.

A 3-day course making one side of a bench and tools to reproduce the bench for future manufacture.

A 4-day toolmaking course, which included a hammer, a pair of tongs, 3 punches, 2 drifts, a cold chisel, a dot punch, a hot chisel and riveting snaps.

A 5-day course designed for an amateur blacksmith who learnt how to make a selection of small products to sell at stalls in London.

A 10-day course for Ginny, who learnt how to make a selection of small items, which she can then reproduce and sell while building her own blacksmith business in York.

A 20-Day course for Chris, who started a fabrication business and wanted to gain blacksmith skills to give his work originality.

Course fees are only refundable if, in the unlikely event, I need to cancel. Course fees are the only costs refundable. I can't refund any other costs, like hotel bookings or fuel costs.

Courses can be rescheduled if required, but please notify me at least a month or more if possible.

Sally Avery - 2-day blacksmith experience course - Bird Bath

Jane Bransgrove - 1-day blacksmith experience course - Bird bath

Martin Morgan - 2-days blacksmith experience course - Wheat sculpture

Bob Hughes - 1-day blacksmith experience course - Lilies bird feeder

Tony Keppler - blacksmith experience day - Rams head poker

Darren Goacher - blacksmith experience day - obelisk

John and Sue Robinson - 3-day blacksmith experience course - Handrail and Lilies

Mark Broadmeadow - 1-day blacksmith experience course - Dragon door knocker

Stewart Weston-Lewis - 3-day blacksmith experience course - Lilies, wall plant pot holder and garden tools

1-Day blacksmith experience course - Andy Wilson made the scrolls for this pot holder at the forge, then welded it at home and put some shelves on

Ellie Hann - 1 Day blacksmith experience course - Spring tongs

Martin Hayward - 3-day blacksmith experience course - hooks and fish bottle openers

Suzanne Gurr - 1-day Blacksmith experience course - Trivet

Matthew Lawson - 1-Day blacksmith experience course - Candlestick holder

Adam Cory - 2-day blacksmith experience course - Rose candlestick holder

James Phillips - 5-day blacksmith course - Rams head rake and brush, ladle, tongs, hanging basket bracket, punches and chisels.

Chris Tiffers - 1 Day blacksmith experience course - Table stand Antlers

Carol Maher - 1-day Blacksmith experience course - Hanging basket bracket

Harry Rowe - 1 Day Blacksmith experience course - Candlestick holder

Matthew Windsor - 1-Day Blacksmith experience course - Dragon door knocker

Paul Mady - 1-day Blacksmith experience course - Plant pot holder

Kathie Crane- cleft sculpture, cos she loves music - one day blacksmith experience course

The Ash Family - Fire set - one day blacksmith experience course

Martin O Malley - Hanging basket bracket - two-day blacksmith experience course

Christian Blundell - Skull Poker... cos it was Halloween ooo - one day blacksmith experience course

Selwyn Percival - Camping Fire Tripod - One Day Blacksmith experience Lesson

Brian Hurst - dragon hooks - 1 day blacksmith experience course

Phil Burlingham - Oil drum BBQ stand - 2-day blacksmith experience course

Giles - Lily sculpture - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Derek Goddard - bird feeder - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Mary West - Lily bird bath and feeder - 2-day blacksmith experience lesson

Robert Watt - Table - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Richard Scott - Rams head bottle opener - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Dave Calvert - Welly holder and puller - 1-day blacksmith experience course

John Linn - Spit Roaster and something to hook his pots off for campfire cooking - 2-Day Blacksmith experience course

Ken Gosling - Bird Feeder - 1 Day Blacksmith Experience Course

Austen Lucas - Anchor - 1-Day Blacksmith Experience Course

Sarah Stevens -hinges- 1-day blacksmith experience course

Eddie - Candlestick holder and Rams head poker - 2-Day Blacksmith experience course

Mark Darbyshire - Tongs - 1-Day Blacksmith experience course

Kevin Germany - fishing rod coat hooks - 2-day blacksmith experience course

Tom Brooks - candlestick holder - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Tom Brooks - looking chuffed with his candlestick holder

Richard Pierce - traditionally joined bracket and tools - 5-day blacksmithing course

David Paynter - garden arch - 5-day blacksmithing course

Malcolm Clark - fire stand, tongs and poker - 2-day blacksmith experience course

Nigel Wickham - dragon hanging basket bracket - 2-day blacksmith experience course

Sean o Brien - sign - 2 day blacksmith course

Steve Mann - fire stand and set - 4-day blacksmith experience course

Roy Oakenden - ram's head shovel - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Fabiana and hubby - door knocker - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Kyle Winkelmaier - 1000 gram Cross Pein Hammer and a rose - 3-day blacksmithing course

Mark Frost - Snail letter/file holder- one day blacksmithing lesson

Paul Stacey - Obelisk [the painted one was made on a previous one-day lesson] - one-day blacksmithing lesson

Mark Attwell - Rams head turning poker and 2 door pulls - 2-day blacksmith experience course

David Spreadbury-Troy - Candlestick holder and a Skrew - 1-day blacksmithing lesson

Patrick Humphries - candlestick holder - 1-day blacksmithing lesson

Heather Wall - Weather vein - 3-day blacksmith and fabrication course

Sarah and Alex - Hooks - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Hugh Jones - candlestick holder - 1-day blacksmith experience course

Charlie Wale - Rams head knocker, 2-day blacksmith experience course

Hamish Freeman - Fire dogs, 2-day blacksmith experience course

Steve Mann - Fire set, 2-day blacksmith experience course

Jos Jones - Bulls head hooks, 1-day blacksmith experience course

James Stephens - Curtain rails, 2-day blacksmith experience course

Charlie Batty - window grill. 1-Day blacksmith experience course

Martin Howard - Boot scraper, music wall, plant pot holders. 2-Day blacksmith experience course.

Jake Evans - Music stand - 2-day blacksmith experience course

David Lindfield - Doorknocker blacksmith experience course

Daniel Page - Shelf brackets. 2-Day blacksmith experience course

Ben Gibbons - boot scraper. Blacksmith experience course.

Rams head candlestick holder by Jan Svobodova. Blacksmith experience course.

Paper knives by John Lewis. Blacksmith experience course.

A candlestick holder by Andrew Marshallsay. 2-Day blacksmith experience course.

Boot scraper, tongs, poker,  chestnut roaster & simple wall sconces by Jerry Smith on a four-day blacksmith experience course

Boot puller by Jon Hatch. 1-Day blacksmith experience course

Pots and pans wrack, hooks and bicycle hooks made by Jon. 1-Day blacksmith experience course.