In need of a place to hang his coat Marc West visits Wittenham Clumps to try his hand at the age-old craft of metalwork

Smith is the most prevalent surname in the country. It derives from the Old English word smitan – meaning “one who strikes metal”.

Occupational surnames like this date back to the Anglo-Saxon period and as every settlement across the land had a resident blacksmith at hand (even until quite recent times) it’s no wonder the moniker has spread so widely.

Sadly, the traditional craft of their namesake – which quite literally built our great nation during the Industrial Revolution – is today somewhat a trade that so-called progress has tried it’s best to make extinct.

However, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, it’s now possible for Oxfordshire residents to get a free taster of the salt-of-the-earth skills required to create beauty from fire and brimstone – and maybe even pass on this legacy to future generations.

From the outset, it’s clear this is a distinctly masculine process.

Our makeshift forge in the shadow of the Bronze Age hill fort at windy Wittenham Clumps, is a bit like the ultimate dad’s Shed – with every kind of hammer, tong and spanner you can imagine, plus all manner of heavy equipment that I probably shouldn’t even look at, let alone have a go on.

Just hand-pumping the Victorian bellows to heat the coals to nearly 2000 degrees is a bicep-busting challenge, but ensures there’s no chance of getting a chill on this rather autumnal afternoon.

For such a sturdy material, iron becomes surprisingly malleable once glowing red. Drawing it out on the anvil is the first step.

Hitting hard is part of the equation, but hitting accurately and with confidence is more important – with the rhythmical clanking of metal on metal becoming almost mantra-like in my head alongside the patient instruction from my master.

I’m the apprentice of self-confessed steam-punker David Gregory from Cobalt Blacksmiths, in nearby Nuffield. He cuts a dashing figure in his functional uniform of leather trousers, suede apron, bovver boots and Tweed scarf – I dare say it could almost pass for the latest trend on this season’s catwalk. Having trained under a Czech master, he’s now got over 20 years of experience working for princes and peasants alike.

He instils in me the importance of the elemental work he loves, lives and breaths. This is a distinctly human craft of (literally) blood, sweat and tears, which harks back to simpler times when things were made to last.

Once I’m in the flow of turning the rod and striking whilst the iron’s hot, the controlled motion starts to influence the shape my creation will become once quenched in water. As I turn the ends round on themselves, the material seems to conform to mathematics and begins to follow an almost Fibonacci spiral. Granted, it lacks sophistication but it’s functional and will last a lifetime. Now, every time I hang my coat up I get immense pride in thinking, “I made that”.

TRY IT
Whether you fancy trying your hand at hedge laying, honing your wildlife ID skills or brandishing a hammer with intent, Earth Trust, at Little Wittenham is the place. Activities run throughout the year with options for all ages and abilities. For details visit earthtrust.org.uk