COMING SOON
The Old Town Forge project seeks to promote and encourage our innate need for self-expression by facilitating creativity with a variety of arts and crafts programs.
In 2026 the newly formed Community Interest Company The Old Town Forge C.I.C moved into the newly refurbished stables and coach house at 21a Lower Road Eastbourne. Formally a forge and factory and originally a stables and blacksmiths for the now gone Gore estate, its position in the Old Town area of Eastbourne make it ideal for its new purpose.
Spotted as a potential site for developing a creative community and school for Arts and Crafts specialising in jewellery and silversmithing, Brighton Goldsmith Julian Stephens set about creating a state-of-the-art learning environment.
To keep up to date with all of the progress and to hear about exciting opportunities at The Old Town Forge, please leave your email address.
History
The stables were built, it is believed, in 1824 for Gore House (now gone) and comprised a coach house, tack room, stables for four Horses and a hayloft.
At the south end of the stables was a blacksmiths forge where farriers, blacksmiths and a wheel right once worked. In the 1880s Gore House was demolished to make way for new housing and Lower Road was built. At this time a third building, another coach house was constructed and possibly at the same time a fourth building opposite
was built.
At some point, we can assume with the advent of the motor car, the stables were removed to make room for engineering. The stables have been used by metal fabricators for many years providing services to the local community and beyond.
The forge was in use right up to 2019 by the previous owner for shoeing horses.
When the property was purchased in 2024 much of the equipment remained on site with stores dating back over 100 years.
The Plan
The Jewellery Workshops
Phase One:
Julian wants first to renovate and update the stables creating an open plan dedicated Jewellery workshop. On the first floor he wants to create workspaces for practicing Jewellers and silversmiths. The downstairs workshop will be a dedicated teaching space where short courses and evening classes can take place. A small show room will be included for visiting clients.
If you're interested in finding out more then please subscribe below.
The Pottery
Phase Four:
On the northeast corner of the site is a dilapidated single story storage unit and office. Permission has been granted to demolish this and construct a new building with three floors. The ground floor will house a pottery which is the most ancient of crafts and it’s inclusion at The Forge makes absolute sense in terms of our ethos.
The first floor will be a living space providing accommodation for visiting tutors. As the school develops, we hope to include an itinerary of short courses held by visiting practitioners. Providing accommodation will help bring course costs down.
The loft will provide valuable storage space.
The old forge or Multi-Disciplinary Teaching Space (MDTS)
Phase Three:
The Southwest corner of the site was formerly a forge where in times past Farriers and a wheelwright once worked. Permission has been granted to rebuild the forge creating a self-contained open plan workspace.
The ‘MDTS’ is a very exciting part of the project as it will provide a workspace for teaching any number of crafts , lino cutting, calligraphy, bookbinding, basket weaving, activities that need simply tables, chairs and hand tools.
The space will include toilets, a small kitchen and tables and chairs providing space for up to ten students.
Phase Two:
Machine Shop
The New Coach house will be developed as a machine shop and dedicated silversmithing room with hearth and equipment for metal spinning and the hand the raising of vessel forms.
Progress so far
Phase One
The main building has had to have a new roof including 11 conservation grade Velux windows which help to light the first-floor workshop. A 14kw solar array has been included and will help power the site. The roof work is now complete and the scaffold removed. The first floor has been lowered to increase headroom and will be finished in pine.
On the ground, under floor heating will be put down and the walls lined with insulation. First fix electrical cabling will be installed soon.
In the spring work will begin on kitting out the workshops, building benches and machinery commissioned.
The coach house has become a makeshift tool store and machine shop. It has electricity and is dry. At some point it will need rewiring, insulating and the original sliding doors replaced or upgraded.
Phase Two
It has become apparent that work on the old forge needs to progress sooner than later as the fabric of the end wall needs to be kept dry.
The structural engineer is currently working on the calculations for the beams which will need to be installed as soon as possible.
Phase Three
Phase Four
The Pottery. This part of the project is still on the drawing board and work is not planned to commence until a stable income from projects one two and three is achieved so possibly 2028.
Our Ethos
.png)
Over the last million or so years we have evolved unique physical advantages over our fellow creatures and our amazing ability to create art is perhaps our most profound human attribute. Our brains and our hands are uniquely linked, with imagination and practice we can achieve feats of creativity that bring joy to both artist and audience.
In our modern world we can see that many of the modern ingenious conveniences we have come to take for granted in our personal lives, such as mobile phones and in industry, computer aided design and now Artificial Intelligence, are leading us into more sedentary passive lifestyles. In recent years mental health issues have come to the fore with some people feeling isolated and excluded.
The Old Town Forge C.I.C project is all about creating an inclusive environment in which people can explore their unique creativity. Through a program of Evening classes, short courses and day release City and Guilds courses, the project hopes to facilitate access to arts and craft activities that will benefit both the local community and the jewellery trade.
To keep up to date with all of the progress and to hear about exciting opportunities at The Old Town Forge, please leave your email address.