Steve Cooper, Blacksmith, Pershore
Steve Cooper Blacksmith, Pershore
A large gilded iron overthrow with painted shields above a pair of gates, framed by trees

Little Acorns Forge, Pershore. Since 1989.

Forty-odd years of iron. Back where I started.

These days I keep it small. Repairs, one-offs, and the little garden pieces I call {{ sticksName }}. Same forge, same hands, same standard as the gates. Just less crane.

What I do now Ring Steve, 01386 561 547

The circle

Small, then very big, then small again.

Pick a year, or use the arrow keys. The bigger the stop, the bigger the job.

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The big stuff

I've moved a lot of metal. Here's some of it.

The Golden Gates of Wood Norton closed between stone piers, black ironwork with a gilded overthrow and crowns

Chapter one. July 2019

The Golden Gates of Wood Norton

My biggest restoration. Stripped back, repaired, repainted and regilded with gold leaf, then put back where they belong in July 2019. I've called it the pinnacle of my career, and I'll stand by that.

Close detail of a gilded crown and red and green painted jewels on the Wood Norton gates, in the workshop

Chapter two. 9 November 2019

The War Horse

A full-size horse and farrier made from horseshoes. Many were donated. One came from the First World War. It stands in the Commemorative Garden in Abbey Park, Pershore, and it's the second horse I've made this way.

Wychavon gave me an Arts Recognition Award for this and the gates. I'm fond of them both.

The War Horse memorial, a soldier standing beside a horse made of horseshoes, in a garden with a flagpole Close up of the horseshoe horse head in the workshop, overlapping forged bands and shoes The horse's legs and hooves, built from welded horseshoes, on the workshop floor
A steel phoenix sculpture with wings raised, feathers catching the light against a blue sky

Chapter three. And the rest

The Phoenix, the whalebones, a dome and a good few staircases

The Phoenix was made and auctioned for the Fire Fighters Charity. The replica whalebones stand in Workman Gardens, Evesham. There's a glazed dome on a Georgian roof in Cheltenham. And gates, railings and balustrades all over the place. Iron, steel, stainless, brass, bronze, copper and aluminium. Forge work, Mig and Tig, gold leaf.

A curved stone staircase seen from above with an ornate black balustrade and brass handrail A black ironwork veranda with a curved lead roof on a white period house An ironwork arch over a paved town walkway with a church tower in the distance

The turn. What I do now

I've done the big stuff. Now I'd like to do yours.

I started in 1989 in a garage behind 13 Bridge Street. That's still my address. Funny how it goes.

A black garden gate with scrolls along the top, standing open beside a stone pier

Repairs

Gate dropped? Railing snapped? Grandad's old boot scraper in two pieces? Send me a photo and I'll tell you straight if I can mend it. If I can't, I'll say so.

Send me a photo, 07813 376505
Illustration, photo to come

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Stick it in a border, a pot, a bit of lawn that needs cheering up. Made by hand, so no two come out the same. Tell me what you're after and I'll have a go.

Ask about a job
Don't apologise for bothering me with something small. That's the job now.
Forged copper lilies and leaves on tall stems, standing on the workshop bench
Steve Cooper at the bench in his workshop, working a drill on a length of iron

About Steve

Steven Ellis Cooper, AWCB DipWCF

Fifth generation. A family of blacksmiths, farriers and wheelwrights. I served my time from 1983, started on my own in 1989 with help from my mum and my late grandfather Alec Witts, and I'm still here.

Associate of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths. Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, 2012.

"I love my job and being Pershore's Blacksmith makes it even more so."

How it works

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Ask about a job

Ring, text a photo, or fill this in. I'll tell you straight.

Got it, {{ form.name }}.

I'll have a look and get back to you at {{ form.reach }}. If it's urgent, ring the forge.

Prototype only. Nothing has been sent.
Ring Steve Send me a photo