Blacksmith

Orvelte is a small village in Drenthe, near Westerbork, that has been preserved as an open-air museum. It is a typical Drenthe village, with farms arranged along sandy lanes, old trees, grazing meadows and thatched roofs, and it gives a rare sense of what a village looked like before modern farming and traffic changed the countryside. The farmhouses are of the traditional Saxon type, long buildings combining house, barn and stable under one great roof, and many of them are still thatched. Some are open to visitors, while others are lived in, and craftspeople work in several of the buildings.

The blacksmith is one of the traditional trades on show. In the era before factory-made goods, every village had a smith, and he was among the most useful men in the community. He shod horses, repaired ploughs and carts, made hinges and latches, forged tools and mended pots, and his forge was a natural meeting place where news passed along with the work. In Orvelte, a working forge lets visitors see how the craft was done, with a hearth glowing red, an anvil ringing under the hammer and iron changing shape as it is heated and struck.

The details of the demonstrations vary from day to day and season to season. At times visitors may watch a smith make a simple object such as a horseshoe or a hook, and at others there may be a themed activity. It is always worth asking questions, as the craftspeople are usually happy to explain techniques, tools and the stages of the work. Children tend to be fascinated by the sparks and the heat, so it is a good idea to keep them at a safe distance from the fire.

The forge is part of a wider experience of the village. Other crafts in Orvelte include baking, weaving and woodwork, and there are small museums showing aspects of farming life, as well as places to eat and drink. Walks through the surrounding heath and woodland make a pleasant extension to the visit, and the nearby area has hunebedden and other traces of prehistory.

The village suits families, craft enthusiasts and photographers. Opening days vary with the season, so check before you go. A visit takes two to three hours for the whole village, and the forge itself is a stop of half an hour or so.