Group Courses are held at The Forge at Brinsbury College, Stane St, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 1DL.
Students taking part in a blacksmith course at Brinsbury College in the picture above.
Alex The Smith will guide you through various blacksmith processes so you can make and take home your very own forged piece of art!
Alex has been a blacksmith since 1998 and has years of experience to guide all types of students, from complete beginners to students looking to run their own Forge.
The picture above is of your teacher, Alex, bashing hot metal at Chalk Pit Forge at Amberley, where he only teaches on a one-to-one basis.
On each course, you will learn to manage your fire and work the metal at the correct heats for the techniques you're doing.
You can join a group of 8 people, on a day experience in the forge, on the dates below. Or you can book as your own group of 8 or more and arrange a date to suit. This could be for a celebration, a team building exercise or for education purposes!
Schools, colleges, businesses, organisations that are looking for a team building activity, stag, hen parties, community projects etc... can all book group courses and hire the workshop all for yourselves. Please scroll down to the bottom of this page for more information on group hire.
Anyone 14 years and over can participate. Under 16's will need a guardian with them, who will also need to participate.
Please state the age of anyone under 18.
I currently have the following group courses available:
'Make a Rams Head Poker' course on Saturday 29th November 2025.
'Make a Hanging Basket Bracket' course on Saturday 28th February 2026.
'Make a simple Poker and Toasting Fork' course on Saturday 14th March 2026.
Each course is £160 per student for the day.
Arrive around 8:50am for a 9am start. Expect to finish between 4:30 - 5pm.
Please bring your own lunch.
Gloves, goggles and a leather apron are supplied and must be worn by anyone attending the course.
Vouchers are available if you're buying this as a gift for a loved one.
Email alex@chalkpitforge.co.uk for further information.
Make a Toasting Fork and Poker!
This course has an easy rating for beginners.
This is an Ideal course for someone who has never tried blacksmithing and who isn't very hands on or doesn't necessarily have a practical aptitude.
Each person can expect to make a toasting fork and a poker for your BBQ or fire place. You can also make some hooks if you have the time.
Above is a picture of a proud student with their fire poker and toasting fork, which students will make on the day.
Techniques will include: bending, twisting, forging and splitting.
Make a Rams Head Poker!
This course has a difficult rating for complete beginners.
This course will suit beginners who are used to practical work or it suits students who have done the simple Poker and Toasting Fork course or the Hanging Basket Bracket course.
On this course students will learn to split, forge, twist, bend and fire weld.
Make a Hanging Basket Bracket.
This course is rated intermediate for beginners and is suitable for students with or without a practical aptitude.
On this course, you will learn to taper, spread, bend, twist and rivet.
Other Group Course Options
Please email me if you'd like to book a whole group of 8 or more people for a School, College, team building activity for work or for a group of friends.
The price depends on how many people attend.
There are 12 forges and anvils, so up to 12 people is an option, but 8 is the minimum.
You can have more than 12 people, but they would have to take turns or work in groups.
You can either choose to work on one project together, as a team, or you can each make your own piece and work individually.
When working individually, You can choose what you'd like to make from the above courses or you can choose from the following: freestanding candlestick holders, wall candlestick holder, bottle openers, paper knife, chestnut roasters, blacksmith chisels and punches, door knocker, coat hooks, shephards crook bird feeder hanger, boot scrapers, leaf bird feeder hanger, camping tripods, bulls head hooks or curtain rails.
Each group may be able to make two or three of the above each, depending on which items you choose. Everyone in the group has to make the same thing.
When working as a team, you can choose to make a sculpture, an elaborate obelisk for plants to climb up, a decorative coat and umbrella stand, bird bath and bird feeder holder, plant holders, a table or bench.
Funded
This project was supported and partly funded by the UK shared prosperity fund, through the Horsham District Visitor Experiences Grant.
