There is something slightly nostalgic about the forge and the work of the Blacksmith. From medieval times (and even before then) the villages’ Smith was an exalted position regarded as being somewhat classless in the feudal system where position was everything . It did not matter if you were rich or poor, it was very likely that you would at some point need the Blacksmith to shoe a horse, to bend some metal to make a breastplate or work some magic into a metal.
In those days the anvil and the hammer, plus the arm of the Blacksmith themselves, were the bending machine unlike Euromac bending machines from Cotswold Machinery Sales which could do the job a lot quicker. But, as they did not have Euromac Bending Machines back then it was the skill and knowledge of the Blacksmith that needed to be top notch.
The Forge was a place of warmth and laughter. Next to the pub it was where the men of the village came to hangout and marvel at the skill of the Smith. It was also a great place to get gossip and to meet and see people from outside of the village.