We run amateur classes for all in flint-knapping, flax processing, spinning and weaving, and pottery, as well as delivering talks and demonstrations in ancient crafts (these are listed separately on our Outreach page). Below is a list of the workshops we are running for 2024, and below that are our upcoming and previous workshops. To read what participants think about our workshops, click here.
For 2024 our available workshops are:
An Introduction to Flint-Knapping: a 2.5 hour session introducing you to the basic principles of flint-knapping. We run these sessions for families and young people, and adults. We provide all the safety equipment, materials and expert guidance, and you go home with the objects you make. We also offer and Advanced Flint-knapping session of 4 hours for those who know they love knapping flint, and want expert guidance to develop their skills further.
Flax Processing – The Ancient Way: a 2.5 hour session introducing you to the wonders of flax. You process your own bunch of dried flax and transform it into silky fibres ready for spinning. We explore the different methods of spinning flax yarn and cordage-making, from “on-the-leg” to using stone age replica spindles. We look at a warp-weighted loom and appreciate the ancient and unchanging methods that put clothes on our backs! You go home with your raw and spun fibres.
Hafting and Ancient Craft Workshop: a 4 hour workshop involving an introduction to flint-knapping where you make your own tools to work wood and create hafting handles and shafts for your hand-made flint. We process flax and learn how to make cordage, as well as ancient glue to assist in the hafting, and you go home with a finished tool, replica weapon, or an artistic object using the elements you have made.
To book us for a workshop, or talk, please email: theprehistoricworkshop@gmail.com
UPCOMING EVENTS
An Introduction to Flint-Knapping, Chester House Estate
Tuesday 29th Oct (9.30am) + Wednesday 30th Oct (1pm)
BOOKING LINK: https://chesterhouseestate.merlintickets.co.uk/product/PREHISTORICFLINTKNAP
Join The Prehistoric Workshop for their second series of flint-knapping workshops at The Chester House Estate.
An Introduction to Ancient Textiles, Chester House Estate
Tuesday 29th Oct (1pm) + Wednesday 30th Oct (9.30am)
BOOKING LINK: https://chesterhouseestate.merlintickets.co.uk/product/PREHISTORICTEXTILES
Join The Prehistoric Workshop for their second series of Flax Processing workshops at The Chester House Estate.
Flax Processing: The Ancient Way, Twyford Village Hall
Saturday 9th November 2024
A private flax workshop for a spinning group in Twyford, Leicestershire.
Flax Processing: The Ancient Way, The Big Textile Show, Leicester Racecourse
Saturday 26th + Sunday 27th October 2024
Join Steph as she takes you through all things prehistoric and flax-related. You will use stone tools and the wonderful stiff teasel plant to transform the dried flax into a lustrous strick of soft fibres ready for spinning. You will then learn the basics of spinning flax on the leg, and will be able to experiment with various distaffs and drop-spindles, including prehistoric style spindles made of stones and wood. These workshops are being run as part of The Big Textile Show, a weekend-long festival for textile enthusiasts! For more information and to book your ticket, please visit The Big Textile Show and scroll down to see all the workshop options.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
Flax Processing: The Ancient Way, Whetstone Pastures Farm
Tuesday 3rd September 2024
A private flax workshop for the Quilters Guild of Nottingham.
Flint-knapping Workshops at Chester House,
Friday 2nd + Saturday 3rd August
BOOKING LINK: https://chesterhouseestate.org/flint-knapping-workshop/
Have you ever wondered what tools our prehistoric ancestors used? Join The Prehistoric Workshop for an introduction to flint-knapping. In this session you will learn the basic principles of how to shape a piece of flint into a beautiful tool as we explore the qualities and unique properties of flint stone. As well as working with your own piece of flint, you will get to handle genuine flint artefacts made thousands of years ago. You will go home with your worked flint, and more confidence to try again.
This session is suitable for people of all abilities. We are offering sessions for adults only and as family friendly workshops.
Flax Processing Workshops at Chester House,
Friday 16th + Saturday 17th August
BOOKING LINK: https://chesterhouseestate.org/flax-processing-workshop/
What did prehistoric people wear, and how did they make their clothes? Join The Prehistoric Workshop for an introduction to the amazing and ancient flax plant. We use our hands and stone tools to turn a dried plant into lustrous fibres ready for spinning. You will learn how to spin flax on the leg, and will be able to experiment with a range of drop spindles and try your hand at spinning. As well as hearing all about the history of flax linen, you will go home with your flax, and hopefully some quality yarn or cordage made by your own hands. This session is suitable for people of all abilities.
Hafting Workshop at Chester House
Saturday 24th August
BOOKING LINK: https://chesterhouseestate.org/hafting-workshop-prehistoric/
Hafting is the process of attaching a stone or metal tool to a handle or strap.
You will learn the basics of flint-knapping, flax cordage-making, wood-working, and hafting with flint tools and tree-sap glue as you make your own flint sickle or bladed tool to take home. You will get to handle real flint artefacts from the Leicestershire region, as well as replica flint, pottery and textiles made by The Prehistoric Workshop.
Festival of Archaeology: Guided Walk, Misterton, Lutterworth
Wednesday 10th July 2024
Join ’The Prehistoric Workshop’ founders Neil & Steph for a guided walk of the new Lutterworth East development site. As part of the development evaluation, the proposed site has had a Geophysical survey carried out which has highlighted the vast amount of archaeology that exists there. This, together with Fieldwalking surveys from the last 20 years serve to tell us how this Landscape would have looked thousands of years ago. For more information and to book your place, please email theprehistoricworkshop@gmail.com
Hafting Day, Whetstone Pastures Farm
Wednesday 22nd May 2024
A private event for University of Leicester researchers, involving flint-knapping, flax processing, woodwork and hafting. Participants completed their own stone age tools.
Prehistoric Craft Day, Fenland Orchards Project, Wisbech
Saturday 11th May 2024
Join Neil and Steph of The Prehistoric Workshop for a day of Ancient Crafts in the beautiful setting of Fenland Orchards Project in Wisbech. For more information, and to book your place, please visit: Eventbrite
The Prehistoric Workshop 