10am to 4.30pm

Stick making workshop

The course

Delegates will be tutored in the history and craft of making traditional market sticks, which is a traditional type of stick for country walking and also the type of stick a farmer would take to market as opposed to when working with sheep.
Following the short introduction delegates will then work on shaping the handle of a market stick and fixing it to the shaft.

The tutor

Charles Hutcheon has been been making sticks as a hobby for to 20 years.  He works in wood, antler, rams horn and buffalo horn.  He is an active member of the British Stickmakers Guild, in fact he is the Secretary of that organisation, and is also heavily involved in the running of a local group of stickmakers known as the Saxon Stickmakers.
The Stickmakers Guild run a national competition and Charles enters sticks in rounds of that competition when he is able to do so, sometimes with some success.  He also regularly demonstrates the craft of stickmaking at various events including events here at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum.

Participant information

Tools will be provided, however if participants have tools suitable for wood carving such as wood working rasps, microplanes etc. you are welcome to bring them.
The course will be limited to 6 participants. Please bring with you a pen and paper for taking notes.

Fee

£120 per person, to include tuition, teas and coffees. The Museum café will be open or you can bring a packed lunch.

The Museum

The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building exhibits.  It is also home to the award winning and innovative Downland Gridshell, which houses a conservation workshop and artefact store, and is also used for many practical courses.  The Museum runs a full programme of courses in historic building conservation and traditional rural trades and crafts, along with MSc programmes in Building Conservation and Timber Building Conservation validated by Bournemouth University. Please telephone for further details.

To book, download a form here. Alternatively, fill in the booking request below.

Make a Booking Request

 
This is an initial booking request form, and does not guarantee a place on the course. The Adult Learning Team will check the availability of the course, and reply to you as soon as possible - usually within one working day.