National School of Blacksmithing

National School of Blacksmithing The National School of Blacksmithing (NSB) is part of Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire college, a college of further education (FE).

This Page is for students who studied or are still studying at the National School of Blacksmithing, or for those interested in studying the craft at Hereford. It is located at the Centre for Rural Crafts in Holme Lacy. 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 Burcott Road, Hereford). The new Centre for Rural Crafts was opened by HRH The Princess Royal. The school trains blacksmiths from the UK, Commonwealth, the USA, Europe 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 anvils per bay. In addition, each of the 3 blacksmithing bays has its own powerhammer, flypress and other associated equipment and impedimenta. The school also has its own welding and fabrication section where MIG, TIG, and MMA disciplines are taught as well brazing, braze-welding, soldering, sheet-metalwork and technical drawing. The NSB runs full time training courses from one to three years duration, as well as block release courses for apprentices and other craftsmen/craftswomen in industry. The school also runs night classes for those unable to take up full time training. In addition, seminars (such as for WCB judges and the National Heritage Ironwork Group) also take place there. The school jointly runs a B.A. degree in Artist Blacksmithing with Hereford College of Arts.

Congratulations to Rowan Taylor, Blacksmithing Lecturer at the National School of Blacksmithing at Holme Lacy College fo...
27/10/2025

Congratulations to Rowan Taylor, Blacksmithing Lecturer at the National School of Blacksmithing at Holme Lacy College for being awarded the Bronze Medal by The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths in recognition of attaining the high standard required to become a Master Blacksmith.

Following the luxurious ceremony in London this week, Rowan is now entitled to hold the official title as a Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths.

Congratulations to Rowan, now officially Rowan Taylor FWCB. 👏

Advert/Opportunity for a job at ‘The National School Of Blacksmithing’, Holme Lacy, Hereford, HR2 6LL. Support staff - 0...
22/09/2025

Advert/Opportunity for a job at ‘The National School Of Blacksmithing’, Holme Lacy, Hereford, HR2 6LL.

Support staff - 0.5 (Half a week) ‘Workshop Technician’

ex-students welcomed to apply. Please message for more details.

Many thanks NSB

EDUCATION | Holme Lacy College FREE Blacksmithing Course - Back by popular demand.New dates: 13th & 14th December 10am-...
06/12/2024

EDUCATION | Holme Lacy College FREE Blacksmithing Course - Back by popular demand.

New dates: 13th & 14th December 10am-4pm.

Hurry - Limited spaces available!

Express your interest by 9th December 👉https://forms.office.com/e/JjASedxfZe

Although it is summer break, our staff here at the National School of Blacksmithing are working around the clock! Ensuri...
07/08/2024

Although it is summer break, our staff here at the National School of Blacksmithing are working around the clock! Ensuring everything is in order for our new starters/returning students.

Here at the National School of Blacksmithing we pride ourselves on safety, ensuring a safe working environment for all our students.

This year we have introduced these ‘PPE goody bags’, which all our students new and old will be receiving upon arrival in enrolment week.

They include; Wrap around (clear) safety glasses, MIG/welding gauntlets & pair of 3M wrap around earplugs/defenders. Along with some promotional advertisement such as business cards, flyers and QR codes for our social media platforms.

We hope you like them guys! Make sure you look after them!

STUDENT SUCCESS | Our students had the opportunity to showcase their work in a student competition at the and the . Th...
06/08/2024

STUDENT SUCCESS | Our students had the opportunity to showcase their work in a student competition at the and the .

The work they entered are pieces they produced for their end of year assessment projects.

New Forest Show (Student static):
1st - Enoch Shell - Chess set
2nd - Fin Gemill - BBQ set
Highly Commended - Simon Blaszkowski - Octopus mirror

Royal Welsh Show (Student static):
2nd - Enoch Shell - Chess set
4th - Jaques Lawlor - Desk lamp

Well done to all our students that took the time to compete!

Here are all our award winners from our ‘award ceremony’! Looking very proud with their efforts over the past academic y...
29/06/2024

Here are all our award winners from our ‘award ceremony’! Looking very proud with their efforts over the past academic year. Well done to all our students that have achieved, learnt and progressed through out this year! You have all been amazing.

Level 2 Diploma:

Best Blacksmith - Finlay Gemmill (Hammer & Tongs) Sponsored by Vaughn’s
Overall most improved - Rowan Glennon (Set of books)
Best Welder - Enoch Shell (Welding mask) Sponsored by JR repairs
Best Fabricator - Jacques Lawlor (Welding Mask) Sponsored by JR repairs

Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma:

Best Blacksmith - Ash Keegan (Hammer & Tongs) Sponsored by Vaughn’s
Overall most improved - Sean Samson (Set of books)
Best Welder - Toby Smith (Welding mask) sponsored by ESCCO
Best Fabricator - Matt Griffiths (Welding mask) Sponsored by ESCCO

Level 3 Diploma:

Best Blacksmith - Kyle Priestman (Flux & Tongs) sponsored by Swan & Richard Ash
Overall most improved - Jack Cartwright (Welding mask) sponsored by industrial gases
Best Welder - Carl Allison (Grinder & set of books) sponsored by JR repairs

Additional awards:

Overall outstanding award *To the student that has most difference to the craft internally and externally* - Clare Collier (ÂŁ50 Amazon voucher) sponsored by Selmach
Vaughan Nash trust award (ÂŁ250) - Lee Barnes & Tristan Galley
Becca Moult Trophy award (ÂŁ250) - Max Freestone
Perseverance award - Cameron Jolleys (Files)

Have a great summer break, see you all September! ☀️

AWARDS | Last night was our ‘award ceremony’ to celebrate student success and achievements that have been accomplished o...
27/06/2024

AWARDS | Last night was our ‘award ceremony’ to celebrate student success and achievements that have been accomplished over the past academic year.

Josh, staff member at the National School of Blacksmithing. Managed to acquire over ÂŁ500+ (free of charge) prizes from all our registered suppliers.

And….. *Drum roll please!* Here are the winners of the 2024 academic year;

Level 2 Diploma:

Best Blacksmith - Finlay Gemmill (Hammer & Tongs) Sponsored by Vaughn’s
Overall most improved - Rowan Glennon (Set of books)
Best Welder - Enoch Shell (Welding mask) Sponsored by JR repairs
Best Fabricator - Jacques Lawlor (Welding Mask) Sponsored by JR repairs

Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma:

Best Blacksmith - Ash Keegan (Hammer & Tongs) Sponsored by Vaughn’s
Overall most improved - Sean Samson (Set of books)
Best Welder - Toby Smith (Welding mask) sponsored by ESCCO
Best Fabricator - Matt Griffiths (Welding mask) Sponsored by ESCCO

Level 3 Diploma:

Best Blacksmith - Kyle Priestman (Flux & Tongs) sponsored by Swan & Richard Ash
Overall most improved - Jack Cartwright (Welding mask) sponsored by industrial gases
Best Welder - Carl Allison (Grinder & set of books) sponsored by JR repairs

Overall outstanding award *To the student that has most difference to the craft internally and externally* - Clare Collier (ÂŁ50 Amazon voucher) sponsored by Selmach

Well done to all our winners! More photographs of the winners to come.

A big thank you to all of our donating sponsors! Also a thank you to The Moon Inn for hosting us and providing a hog roast.

REPOST || On the 11th April 2024 a new sculpture was unveiled at Hereford Skate Park.This year, ‘Reflection’ has been de...
27/05/2024

REPOST || On the 11th April 2024 a new sculpture was unveiled at Hereford Skate Park.

This year, ‘Reflection’ has been designed and built by Daniel Dargue, with help from some fellow students and tutors, to the theme of LGBTQ+.

Over the last few years, Daniel has interacted with the LGBTQ+ community through their own sizeable social media, and has met a huge variety of people, all with different stories and experiences. Stories of them figuring out their identities and discussing the process of discovering themselves. Daniel noticed one common similarity popping up, even throughout thousands of people. It seems that many people all go through a moment of questioning. Reflecting. Seeing themselves as a different gender or differently presenting. It was this that inspired this sculpture.

The Hereford City Council plinth sculpture project started in 2017 and was based on the idea of the Fourth Plinth at Trafalgar Square, with the intention of changing the sculpture annually, however due to a hiatus from Covid and the works to the site, this will be the fourth sculpture installed.

The project was launched to promote arts and culture and to promote the talents of young people within the City, providing students with an opportunity to have their work displayed and hopefully help with their future employment opportunities.

Our thanks go out to the trustees and volunteers of Hereford Skatepark and Hereford and Ludlow College (Herefordshire College) for the sculpture designs and forging.

On the 27th of April, we hosted The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths ‘Wardens day’. They started their day off at the M...
26/05/2024

On the 27th of April, we hosted The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths ‘Wardens day’. They started their day off at the Morgan factory in Malvern, to then finish it coming to our facilities and have a go forging for themselves!

Del Done MBE from delivered a wonderful presentation and pop up gallery explaining the BA hons art course which is facilitated at our forges.

Each warden was given the opportunity to forge anything that came to the imagination. With guidance from the helpful students!

The Worshipful Company of Blacksmith’s fund student bursaries for blacksmithing, which our students are able to apply for every year. Furthermore they have awards within the company, which ex students and staff here at the National School of Blacksmithing have obtained. We are very grateful for the support they give to us and our students.

Here pictured is Prime Warden (Bob Tunks) and Assistant Clerk (Jackie Monelle) being guided through the process of ‘have a go forging’.

Well done to those all involved!

Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths

REPOST | The Skuldelev 5 anchor project is a go! After a 13 hour odyssey travelling from Manchester to Copenhagen yester...
25/05/2024

REPOST | The Skuldelev 5 anchor project is a go! After a 13 hour odyssey travelling from Manchester to Copenhagen yesterday, the students from The National School of Blacksmithing have hit the ground running and are already making great progress.

The group has been divided into four teams who are all responsible for specific parts of the process of forging the anchor - a process which has been carefully planned over the past few months by their instructors, Rowan and Mischa.

Both Rowan and Mischa have great experience working with traditional blacksmithing and the reconstruction of archeological artefacts. Forging an anchor is something really special though, as they easily rand among some of the largest metal objects from the Viking Age.

The team will be on site each day until the 29th and all are welcome to swing by the museum and follows the progress as the anchor takes shape.

Address

HCT Holme Lacy Campus
Holme Lacy
HR26LL

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

01432 365391

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when National School of Blacksmithing posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category