Handmade by Hands on History

We work in wood, leather, cloth, flint and a range of metals including iron, steel, bronze, copper and tin producing one off, traditionally made artefacts of museum quality here in Sussex in our own workshops.

We like to make our historic artefacts from scratch as this is the best way to get in to the minds of the original craftsmen and women. Slowly, over the years, we have developed new skills from knapping flint tools to crafting Bronze and Iron Age jewellery to making arms and armour.

Museums, historic venues, schools, reenactors and people who want something unique and hand crafted have all commissioned artefacts from us.

We have also supplied or hired to TV, film and theatre groups. Here are some of the interesting (and sometimes strange!) commissions we have taken on:

  • Full sized jousting horse on wheels

  • A working Caxton printing press

  • History resource boxes for museums

  • A full set of ‘Arctic’ clothing for a Stone Age hunter gatherer

  • A range of the tools and weapons carried by our Stone Age ancestors

  • Replica Lewis machine guns to go on a rebuilt WW2 motor gun boat

  • An archery support and stand to allow someone who is profoundly disabled to shoot a bow

  • A set of smugglers’ artefacts

  • A worked metal fibula, cloak pins and brooches

  • A full set of leather and bronze Greek Hoplite armour including helmet, shield, sword and spear

  • An illustrated cloth time line with artefacts to represent key events in history

  • A working Roman ballista

  • Full set of artefacts for a reconstructed Iron Age roundhouse including a working loom

Hands on History are happy to quote for individual bespoke pieces made to your choice of design.

We have a range of artefacts that we have already made that you can buy now. They are listed under time period, so please click below.