Tell
the Webmaster if you do find
errors so we can 'repair' them
Last updated on 10th July 2005
Craftsmen will from time to time, stand back from their work to judge, to criticize or merely to admire, a permissible conceit since it is also a characteristic of craftsmanship that satisfaction is to be derived from a good job well done. It is a satisfaction which is additional to the monetary return and sometimes that satisfaction is the greater of the two. There are some people who believe it to be sufficient in itself.
A century ago it would have been a scene familiar to village life to see a rural craftsman at work using the skills that were passed on from father to son. Today those skills are still needed but skilled practitioners with the ability to pass on are few and far between.
We should be concerned at the disappearance of the old skills not merely for the loss of historic interest, but for the very good reason that we are in danger of losing some of life if craftsmanship disappears from our countryside. This concern is not by any means only for ourselves who benefit from the skills of others, but because these very skills are part of our character and national heritage
The Devon
Rural Skills Trust aims to retain them by promoting rural skills training
through specific one day courses and rural skills apprenticeships. Day courses
are programmed, mainly on weekend at venues all over the county of Devon
( to be continued)