Holkham Forge

29/03/2026

There's been more amazing coverage of the Royal Palace Reborn during the second episode of the new Great British Castle Rescue (about 28 mins in).

I thought it might be a nice idea to collect some of the links to media pieces on the castle and the doors in particular, for those who might be interested.

Obviously, first up is the Full length documentary by still on Channel 4:

 https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-castle-rebuilding-history

Next is the first in a series of stand alone pieces focusing on the project in more detail. It follows the forging of the ironwork with new sections of forging and interviews that aren't included in the documentary above:

https://youtu.be/8UV0_1PRhhg 

Eye Film Shorts on YT featuring different parts of the ironwork making:

https://youtube.com/shorts/OBEd34UGZmY

https://youtube.com/shorts/7y9WoXsrDsM

https://youtube.com/shorts/8_IUMTjJkSY

Finally, Front Row on Radio 4 had the first 15mins of their 12th August 2025 episode reviewing the recently reopened Keep:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002gzzy

If anyone has other pieces that can be included to create a more comprehensive list we'd love to hear from you.

01/11/2024

National Heritage Ironwork Conference 2024, Hampton Court Palace.

Perhaps the secret to it all is listening… I’d never been to a National Heritage Ironwork Group (NHIG) event, despite being a blacksmith for approaching 20 years. Recent questions regarding heritage ironwork projects had brought me into contact with the amazing NHIG co-ordinator Jessica Renison,...

03/09/2024

For you to see who don't follow on IG - Copied from Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery Instagram Feed...

🔥🔥🔥For our first Medieval Monday of September, this reel comes to you fresh from the forge!

The central section of the forged steel for the Bigod tower door is now complete and ready for tinning.

Here blacksmith James Spedding of Holkham Forge in North Norfolk shows us the metalwork laid out on his workbench. Check out the intricate knots and braiding which James and Roger have created from a design based on medieval ironwork from Raveningham Church, in South Norfolk.

The steelwork will now be sent away to be ingot tinned, right down to the nail heads that hold it all together.

Design by architects working with our Academic Advisory Board and curatorial team as part of the Royal Palace Reborn project, generously funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund

24/08/2024

Link to a short piece about the Dragon Gate of Burnham Norton.

We've recently finished a new entrance gate for St Margarets' Church, Burnham Norton, North Norfolk. We were initially approached by the Church to price up…

24/08/2024

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7206024905996288000/

Holkham Forge !! This approx 3m tall door mock up is for Norwich Castle the first of nine I believe, the amazing decorative work is being created by James…

24/08/2024

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7233039745512022016

Fascinating insights into the process of designing and making these incredible doors.

17/05/2024

With many thanks to for featuring us today, and Russell Sach for capturing the moment of us working on pieces for : Royal Palace Reborn.

07/09/2023

Lovely to be invited to the PV of the NR23:23 exhibition at this evening. Helen's got paintings and sketches of the flower gate, and we're exhibiting the sheep and flower gate. It's on for a couple of weeks, starting tomorrow morning.

06/09/2023

Oh hello! We opened the doors this morning to find we weren't the first in the workshop. This little Little Owl must have fallen down the chimney overnight!

10/07/2022

Super chuffed to find a little red dot next to one of our pieces in the exhibition. It's the last day today so do pop in and see it if you get the chance.

There's a fabulous range of work in various media made by artists who live in the NR23 postcode area (which is not that large, as you can see by the map!).

Lovley to see so many of the showing, plus lots of artists who I'd not met before.

Thanks to all involved in creating such a amazing showcase!

19/05/2022

Thanks to everyone who responded to the previous post about the pick up sticks particularly This is how it has developed. There are two versions - one regular and one more random, I am not sure which one I prefer. What do you think?

05/05/2022

Come and visit us in the forge and see what we've been up to. North Norfolk Studios starts in just over 3 weeks...