National School of Blacksmithing
Encyclopedia
The National School of Blacksmithing is part of Herefordshire College of Technology
, a college of further education
(FE). It is located at the Centre for Rural
Crafts in Holme Lacy
, approximately 6 miles (10 km) from the city
of Hereford
, Herefordshire
, England
.
The school was founded in 1946. It moved to its present purpose built facility which it shares with Hereford School of Farriery in 2001, having previously been situated at HCT's Folly Lane, Hereford campus. (Hereford School of Farriery previously occupied a site on Newtown Road, Hereford). The school trains blacksmiths from the UK and many other nations. The move to the Centre for Rural Crafts in 2001 meant considerable expansion as the facility contains 61 hearths (including the School of Farriery and a demonstration forge
), organised into 5 'bays' with 12 hearths and anvil
s per bay. In addition, each of the 3 blacksmithing bays has its own powerhammer and flypress.
Herefordshire College of Technology
Herefordshire College of Technology is a college of further education in Hereford, Herefordshire, England.The majority of students, mainly adults, follow courses in health, public services and care, preparation for life and work, and business administration...
, a college of further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
(FE). It is located at the Centre for Rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
Crafts in Holme Lacy
Holme Lacy
-Etymology:Holme Lacy is not from Old Norse holmr "island" like other places of the name Holme, but from the fairly similar Old English hamm "land in a river-bend". The name was recorded as Hamme in the Domesday Book in 1086...
, approximately 6 miles (10 km) from the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The school was founded in 1946. It moved to its present purpose built facility which it shares with Hereford School of Farriery in 2001, having previously been situated at HCT's Folly Lane, Hereford campus. (Hereford School of Farriery previously occupied a site on Newtown Road, Hereford). The school trains blacksmiths from the UK and many other nations. The move to the Centre for Rural Crafts in 2001 meant considerable expansion as the facility contains 61 hearths (including the School of Farriery and a demonstration forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
), organised into 5 'bays' with 12 hearths and anvil
Anvil
An anvil is a basic tool, a block with a hard surface on which another object is struck. The inertia of the anvil allows the energy of the striking tool to be transferred to the work piece. In most cases the anvil is used as a forging tool...
s per bay. In addition, each of the 3 blacksmithing bays has its own powerhammer and flypress.