ANNE’S REPORT on the FORGE in BISHOPSBOURNE

In 1954, at the end of the first year of her Teacher
Training at Roehampton, Anne Church spent time

with the Blacksmith in the Forge in Bishopsbourne.
Her conversation with him and observations about his
skill resulted in this illustrated essay.

(Anne’ father, Geoffrey Church, was at that time Vicar
of Bridge. Sadly Anne died 10 years later at the age of

30.)

eee” eats

He PLOW Concentirates almost entirely ore ornamental Wwrougiet

tron worle which Ae ~hey lovédl for mM ore

of, S eaege ‘

Hes for e ts tn the centre af the Seer xia cee villag ;
where riore thanm Aalf the cottages belong ts the Squire.
teiside . the Low. dark , cool hada L sone
Aarrow. 1 coal ade vee, the villa

Sun. Occasionally
Ci Mr Milwarel ;

A. Local craft. |
Ornamental wrought Lron work.

ratentatat wrought lronworkK is @ eratt which has been Shrinking ,

cpaick | 2 the. last hundred Years, until, pow if 1S _
after o only to he fe found a bi shes a6 ve small, we
we the - icbiglé Villages. where there ts sae man, oe ae 4
Aimmselé in, Ars->6 Om, ghall forse who Keeps the eae *
The oF is sndeed still very, much “alive, WA this oye i
WA SAF these few mien can tell one. ey . hoa ..
~ haveiienciighworlc te ae oper years: ‘en though tase am
= nothing & he eran a with, the work ier Te | :
ce

; 2 oi
; epgieae years eee is _

-
oe ae $ “. eae extremely let ee es ee
a *. Sale: jae village of Bishrepshourne pia Kent
be Mr. Melwore ee blac sinithe hives, Gad works .
. gy ide in the blacksmith, profession all’ Ais. li if,

“4s * studied all. icles: “of the craft, ee Ki us
Mic. shoststin ng of horses and sheet metal Worké

» J ‘-

as =A

Old -tnglith- tral ep, TG alsin SE work, the great ss be salrodaced
by Tyou and the later sellling clown of these in 2 nea English orm
[Ce Fhilward’s forge is an interesting place at all — d
tines, but when tha fring i heing dite it bers deo
[ eautefil. le 1s dark inside, except for the pale oe coming from ide
4 windewS anal the Spel bak dee 9 w radiate; fe m the pire ws
h 7S wonder tal. experience bo watch the ing. Whi an
SZ dock . tele including Several tongs and pokers are f On lop of J
iwiale flat
cooling tora re fille CC ee smith, in Ais worn overalls,
os avi. eas apron talkies up his position, iad Ze “fe oe
age & re Sas Me hear eed ee embers re
q now WeSes OL ee 2 np to th Boe fe:

ore lace, He ae 1S ip A Conventent Payton @ aro

;

.

ll SS ee = — ——— er eS ——* . >
—— ee — a a — 2 ee

; rs ,
with Pheir ordinary fairin im olem eats anol fools . tie aS A1S0

ms ES r J fy / c= ‘
Pleased lo help 1912 wWtth Mif Pager, AS Ae eatica cl, especiall, AS
CF. 7 / Z

guile recently ne
forenod hak this hal happrerecl Veveral years age) ,
Qrnamental. wrought tron wee craft entaclg
tremenolous sel, arlistc ability and patience. Wes |
blacksmith (Se Jculp

/ / / atop :
live othaie SEudents Aad Seen fo walcA hii

Cop - modeller workin Als material,

(ron, in a plaste Slate. (ron, towdevar 18 On

by plashe when at P
Great heat and guickh becomes terol a sy

atin about cae 3
minute afber being taken from the fore. A. Semieusies tindray, =
aan fs report on English Smitherafe Said he se mar ,
ae ee in creatine, bea
or design , and execubron..

Derca Oe Seventeenth ones. ight rentur ”
bhesans teh fiosé Came Perwecrd. OS eta Hb meted O her, the
two ingredients fade Been wee by good sche >
descgn hase ee one Various Chav ved Since. then, but
acti tie tke olesriga, 7 exceculiorr howd “Pema
important. Smiles of Can craw from the

ay aey wraigght (ron work are Jicesg a ‘

is dlescvid the edges are e forse i ee Ol ram yok. Sir ano
them he throwgh PCS Cir 6 Precess be fore Becre ng fled SmooCh -
Tht ve celled Scarfing:
de ront a Phe fre hire. ipta. ialer tank Moe aie Spwitlhe
plunges the hot petal to cool it. | naticed once that he had
cool the SpA Dat peas holding, of re long piece of tron, because

bhad FZ DeCome So hot. Indeed. My lal ae are So

eon, lo heat bys quite without oe he piehed “pai

;

i

:

Durning piece ae coal fiom one part of the fs Are ,and pet Pe oe
/ Z “i
where Ae ded. Lin thee

he return 6° the firing itself, Mr. ee | age that each
Linge ten jee Bb have Some reason bthind it and Cheat ate uf
ae the: stren oth and angle of each Abie ¥% Mery important. He
pointed out -_ ah jperente Aetwase Ais eg Sculp /
| or Carving ! “Every thing has lo be on the eye. Teese 20: Mee G
Standing back. fromthe alepaee sand cane plating , and no yadial
coaxing out o he alee Bi sii u/ante /t: is clear Hat
ec /S great sHell attacked % the iron: ?) forms BY .

pring. hammering and pending hrextricably Bowral ae with

this is the Sill

/ /
Check on the measurements: f

/

Zz

+f, Keeping the Measurements exact.
Mr Mila rol Tai is qul a scheme “hereby he can Keep 4
a drawing the design in He right

On a large piece of flat tron. As each part of
the design Comes from the fire Ae lays it in it place tad hoe )
its Size and Shape. Measuring and the ie loge ther o fae
iron 1s the least en/ A :

proportion
/

ayable and therefore mest exacting part a :
Geek Once whia | wae Ga the forge Mr. Milward was unusually

Succe ss cel, with a wreugat iron gate, and put zt (fo gether with only
A few minor alteratins He WAS Ver

is) Sarprised at this hecanse
the design, though Beautiful was not cdeal
for Ckecalion jn. don Le had adapted it
fom 1S Se rough Lawes of the —
prtterr she wanted 2
7 (this 13 a rough eee of the gue, but f
we both agreed Bat Sire thing 1S: wren em

tle

a contrast between the rtricate centre pattern and the bare outside.

the hammer produce a myriad of al Sparks whiek SY ae
in SO oeetionsr  Stetined thé file iS wetted, after the pammer wher
et Pc on ld going ariel wan, thé 17a ready, farmers:
of Various siyes are used bo curl and bencl it ois hinulifal Hhapet
re Jig pormers Wtislay ep ay the smith and
K are ey useful for Bee coils , aS they Save
a little time, anol ensure that perhaps ten coils of the Same
shape platy are. Pht Sane Shape. Not all sméiths se formers
but this (sone wustance of original methods hemo eeeg ee
old. craft te produce the same effect®.. forslliing ean alts
be done simply swith deft blows of the hammer, helel firmly a tongs,
Vio the Soot wats lo join one prece of trie iz)
another he welds the ‘ts loge ther So that Phe: bee
‘inseperabl, Ore. (1. Milmwarcl explaeeee Zz at under 9
heat the molecules open wp and  fese together. Noches ai
= really jorredl “60 anything else unless the actical rolel ii

*
: interlock wth each

other) tenes Wo pieces are Simply put

! 8 logether aed red (FEE Pe: bangecl hard. .

AE . other Comes whee tee of Cons/s nt thickness

Gucte offen Mr. Méil ward “/eu lol develsp ano
destans but he

q
de
/
d VAS really g,
aol he USu

Werte his chents’ dul

appcer When te was Gwen a 7
ally then proceed. fol the
‘y A 70 Clee ef very peat Le Lhings-

¢ A
NV J / :

Wore
many Ornamental gates. Chih

Ma & made
ch in the Crue fe Lae cron Cracks bron

Arve yYery ae asec: cose fil.) Td
He Aas Macle [re lamps, ch

AOS re. Secettered wll over Ment.
chéiurs aff clfferent clesigns
/
)

(one O~ewacl, Mustrated the
in Bishop shourne)

ree 1 En aL,
V

E ee EN A
“S Yer Varied. Ale

urch Aolice boarels, (An Sogas,

i
Bicol Some ies iron Picteres.

fe Spite o faving ee connechons wile all hifferent
types of preple through Ais craft (and fess work ) Mr. Milward
1S Stl ohne A

Cho village Pep, vial Spence Lhe whole  *
what aes hed Hea Gime tr Pa Domne rge. Ale les

PI
fuse ever the Aarrow ear ree tr a4 Small Catt oye; aire, Ais
Sister G look afler Aina Ste os ver proud of Aim and has

tn dae PPovEeS Stem a beaubfal fire Screem ter Scroll weal
leaf worl? aiheien Wor jer per Brother lhe tlle of the Besé
Wrought tren worker yn Kent. (tHr. Milward is, by Be way, between

We: le ts about He ; ‘

ss

cautiful gate isha

;

fhe ages of Sex by ane Seventy)

Befor'\leanig the fore Mr. Milward promsed me that /,
and my small sesber of Aeven Who had accompanied me twice,
could go and wateh hin whenever we Led It certainly Zs
“ wenclerful experience fo Stand in Lhe lem ly lt forge
and watch bec bfual Shapes Beng Jrshioned. from the

relentless buat excthing material, tron. ,

Whilst me the actual Process of the craft Oz ornamenLal
wrought tron work 7. went round fre necgkhourhood and

managed. a (gee Several interesting examples of the work, Some
of which ave by Mr. (tlbward« *

*

Part o avery. olel (c(ath) wro ht One of the pans of decorations ana heavy

won gate in. St. Anselm chap . tron gate tr the Mw. corner of the nave.
Méilwarel.

=

N
Treat

fi ial

GO beheld

Cele P0021 OK

SSS

Ee ete a rr ar

4 ae
A Sint (amptlnst,
Fi anther THih in. - . - -
Mebibvcardis orge. _A part of one a ables
we eh by iy Mr. ar
pe Za 2 with a

ae a mie

sonal wr t von
chart :