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Centuries of Craft & Creativity

Chedhams Yard, Church Walk, Wellesbourne, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV35 9QT

Traditionally at the heart of the agricultural economy Chedham's Yard has been a creative space for 200 years. The tools and equipment crafted for the local farming community can be seen in carefully restored forge, workshops and garden.

Blacksmithing and beyond

Visitors will have the opportunity to see our traditional forge in operation. Interact with the volunteers operating the hand bellows and beating metal on the anvil, using the skills and techniques passed down from generation to generation. The fundamentals of fire, metal, muscle and know-how have been put to work for centuries to craft the tools and equipment needed by the local agricultural and business communities.

Wheelwrighting

One of humankind's oldest technologies is the wheel. It's powered agriculture and industrial endeavours for centuries, enabled people to travel and transported goods in all guises. Come and see for yourself the skills, materials and processes needed to craft a wooden wheel. Watch the exciting flicker of flames and hiss of steam as the arduous, yet delicate, job of 'tyring' is demonstrated. A rare opportunity to see how to a metal rim is heated, hammered and fitted onto a spoked timber wheel.

Sing out loud

Local musicians, Kel Elliott & her Three Man Orchestra, interviewed many Chedhams Yard volunteers and supporters. Their tales and superstitions inspired new musical compositions to celebrate the many working practices, people and crafts. Visitors, using QR codes on their mobile devices, will be able to hear the voices of volunteers telling their tales and the music inspired by the age-old traditional working crafts.

This event took place in September 2023 and the entry is now archived.

Organised by

Chedhams Yard Trust

Date last modified: 10th August 2023 at 15:41