About Old Pound Smithy

Old Pound Smithy is a working blacksmith’s forge in rural North Devon, run by artist-blacksmiths Dave & Bex. All experiences are taught using traditional hand tools only — fire, hammer, anvil and hand-blown bellows. There are no power hammers or production shortcuts. Everything is forged by hand, using techniques that have changed little for centuries. Courses are small, relaxed and fully hands-on. You’ll work at the anvil yourself, guided through the process step by step, learning how hot metal moves and how simple tools shape it. Whether it’s your first time in a forge or you’re returning to build confidence and skills, the focus is on making, learning, and enjoying the rhythm of the forge — and leaving with something you’ve made yourself.