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Journey Through Time and Craftsmanship: Our Heritage Open Days at Pruden and Smith

Emil Pruden
Journey Through Time and Craftsmanship: Our Heritage Open Days at Pruden and Smith

As part of Heritage Open Days this September, we invite you to explore our building, which has a rich and diverse history. Number 2 South Street, nestled at the heart of historic Ditchling village, has witnessed numerous transformations throughout its storied past, having served as an Arts and Crafts printing press, a village butcher, and more.

An extra special workshop tour

Today, we proudly call this building our home at Pruden and Smith, a contemporary jewellery workshop deeply influenced by our Arts and Crafts heritage. During Heritage Open Days, we are delighted to offer you an exclusive workshop tour, where we will not only take you on a journey through the building's captivating history but also provide insights into how we repurpose metals and gemstones from your old jewellery to create new designs, often inspired by the Sussex Coastline.

Dive into the history

Until the 1950s, this building was the residence of St. Dominic's Press, founded by the English printer, writer, and poet Hilary Pepler in 1916. In the basement, you'll find a grand, old, hand-operated iron Stanhope Press, which now stands as a permanent exhibit at The Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft. Today, our building serves as a contemporary jewellery gallery and workshop, deeply rooted in Ditchling's Arts and Crafts history. Rebecca Smith and Anton Pruden run Pruden and Smith. Anton's grandfather, Dunstan Pruden, was a silversmith in The Guild of St. Joseph and St. Dominic from the 1930s onward. In 1933, St. Dominic's Press published his book 'Silversmithing,' and you can view a rare copy of this book at our location during Heritage Open Days.

The legacy continues

We continue to use tools that once belonged to Dunstan Pruden, some of which are over a century old. During your visit, you will discover how we blend these traditional tools and techniques with cutting-edge technology, such as laser welders, to craft exquisite jewellery designed to endure for generations.

Book your tour today

Heritage Open Days 2023 will be running from September 8th to the 17th, so be sure to book your spot on our extra special workshop tour today.

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