It used to be that every town had a blacksmith - they were the most essential tradesmen. In this engaging tour you will meet a working blacksmith who helps keep this age-old craft alive. Visit his small backyard shed and learn how the artist’s hammer helps to meld and bend metal into recognisable objects. Discover how hand-made tools were made and used and handed down for generations and the process of converting coal to coke in the forge. Blacksmithing is a craft that combines material science, the technical knowledge of how to manipulate metal, skilled hand-eye coordination, malleability, chemical reactions, and destructive distillations. You'll watch forging and hammer work and see tools that have been handed down for generations. Learn what drives us to continue this ancient craft and a blacksmith's role in society both past and present. Blacksmith visit: 45 minutes to 1 hour. Optional: Combine with a kid's craft: Try your hand at blacksmithing by using modelling clay and a mallet, and block. Experiment with material and how it can be shaped and moulded. The activity starts in blacksmith shed and if craft is included, ends in kitchen of colonial home. Leave with a souvenir hook.