Wagtail Workshop Reviews 9

I was lucky enough to be gifted an afternoon at the Wagtail Jewellery Making Workshop. It was such a delight to spend the afternoon with my daughter learning how to produce cast silver jewellery. We did everything from scratch and each created a beautiful pendant. My 11-year-old daughter really enjoyed melting down the old silver, while I enjoyed filing and polishing during the finishing process. Seeing the beautiful finished pieces was extremely satisfying.
James, who runs the workshop, made everything easy. He was on hand at every moment to ensure that what we produced was something to cherish, guiding us every step of the way. James’s quirky workshop is full of vintage tools and treasures, which makes the whole experience that much more special. It was such a wonderful, relaxed afternoon.

It was fantastic to turn some of our unwanted silver items into new, beautiful pieces of jewellery—made even more special by crafting them ourselves.

I would highly recommend this experience, whether as a gift or to enjoy with friends and family, as it's truly a unique experience. Thank you, James—we will be back!

Such an incredible place, our weekend here was awesome! Morning swims, outdoor baths by the fire pit, sun set drink with a view of the vineyard and Malvern hills. The sparkling wine they make is delicious! We took a box home with us. 

James the host is a jeweller and we spent the afternoon in his barn (a serious man cave of creativity and craftsmanship) melting metal and making pendants using traditional techniques like sand casting.

James was very enthusiastic about preserving the traditional ways of making jewellery and cufflinks and keen to teach these to new people. The process was very addictive and also therapeutic!

We left with a very special one-of-a-kind piece of art and had a seriously fun afternoon creating it.

My son, Johnnie, recently attended a workshop at wagtail Retreat with James. He took an old silver spoon with him, and they worked together to design and create a signet ring which my son absolutely loves!
Johnnie has since had it engraved with his initials, and it looks like it was professionally made. He also melted the left-over silver into a mold that he made of a shark tooth (which he took with him to the workshop); it looks very cool!
Johnnie thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience; James is very friendly, creative and knowledgeable, and is passionate about jewellery making. I would recommend the experience to anyone. Johnnie had the best time.

I bought the Wagtail Workshop jewellery design experience for my daughter as a birthday treat. It far surpassed all my expectations. James was brilliant giving my daughter one-to-one hands on expert jewellery design manufacture experience in his ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of tools, presses, clamps and bunsen burners. My daughter left the workshop beaming from ear to ear: hugely inspired by James’s passion, buzzing from the whole experience, and proudly clutching some fabulous personalised jewellery which she now treasures. I’ll will be back with my other daughter soon.

Jules

James was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic! My son (14yrs) had an extremely enjoyable, first experience of melting down metal (silver) and learning the process of making it into something brand new... in this case a Knight chess piece. He loved it and it was hard to tear him away. Highly recommended experience.

A very enjoyable and instructive session. Being cackhanded and clumsy I was amazed at what I achieved under James's expert and patient guidance. I will be back for a follow-up to learn more.2

Hi, The Sparking wine was delivered to the door by the owner. We ordered 12 bottles to drink with family on Boxing Day. Absolutely delicious.. 😋

Hi James,

Thank you for an incredible day, crafting a signet ring for Rebecca using her father's old silver bracelet. From the moment we started, you brought your extensive knowledge and expertise to the table, making the entire experience enjoyable and meaningful.

The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, which helped ease any anxiety about working with precious materials. You took the time to understand my vision and shared insightful ideas on how to make the ring truly special. Your attention to detail and craftsmanship were evident at every step, from melting down the silver to shaping the ring perfectly.

What made the day even more memorable was the personal touch you added. You encouraged me to incorporate elements that represented my wife's personality and her family's legacy, creating a piece that tells a lovely story. As we worked together, I felt a deeper connection to the bracelet and its sentimental value.

By the end of the day, I walked away with not only a stunning signet ring but also a rewarding experience of collaboration and creativity. I can't wait to present this beautiful piece to my wife and see her reaction.

Thank you, James, for helping me turn a precious family heirloom into a timeless treasure!

Highly recommend this experience for anyone looking to create something uniquely special.