History

Branscombe Forge  commands a central position in this quiet and tranquil village, a reminder of a bygone age.  It was built around 1580, making it pretty much the oldest working forge in the country.  We have unearthed records showing  Branscombe Forge’s continuous working history dating back to the earliest of records.  However record keeping is very much a modern way of thinking and back then people did things rather than recorded them! 

For over 400 years many generations of blacksmiths have toiled over red hot metal at Branscombe Forge .   It’s ancient stone walls and flowing thatched roof  have provided the blacksmiths with much needed protection from the elements.  The very fabric of the building and pungent aroma of burning hoofs a legacy from thousands of horses shod on the premises.   

 Before World War One blacksmith shops were quite commonplace in villages with the secrets of the trade passed down from master to boy, keeping these skills and traditions firmly in the present.

Unfortunately the  modernisation of mechanical equipment especially, the internal combustion engine meant horses were no longer required hence the decline of the working horse population.  This is turn  heralded the end for many of the traditional trades within villages.