Welcome to the Burngate Stone Carving Centre!

Latest News:

THOUGHOUT THE SUMMER WE'RE RUNNING 2 HOUR 'HAVE-A-GO' STONE CARVING COURSES TO GIVE YOU ALL A BRIEF EXPERIENCE OF CARVING PURBECK STONE. SESSIONS WILL RUN MORNING AND AFTERNOON ON MOST TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM JUNE THROUGH TO THE START OF SEPTEMBER, AND COST JUST £15 PER PERSON. AS ALWAYS YOU GET TO TAKE HOME WHAT YOU MAKE! BOOKING ADVISABLE BUT NOT ESSENTIAL. FULL LISTING OF DATES ON COURSES PAGE.

FROM THE START OF JUNE '09 WE'RE INTRODUCING A 10% CONCESSION ON ALL COURSES FOR THE UNEMPLOYED, STUDENTS OR SCHOOL CHILDREN, AND PENSIONERS.

The Burngate Stone Carving Centre located between Swanage and Corfe Castle in Dorset is a brand new facility for stone carving courses, letter cutting courses, stone masonry courses, and stone sculpture courses. Its position within the Isle of Purbeck overlooking the coast is outstanding and truly inspirational. The newly renovated buildings are perfect for the purpose and the site is simply beautiful.

The classes we run are delivered at levels to suit everyone from complete novices to more experienced stone workers. If you have never tried any stone carving or stone masonry and you'd like to have a go then this is the place to come to. The combined experience of our various tutors in letter cutting, stone carving, stone masonry, and stone sculpture is substantial to say the least! The Centre makes use of renovated and extended 19^th century quarry buildings and banker sheds which gives the location an air of authenticity. The whole area is steeped in a fascinating history of stone extraction and stoneworking with evidence of old quarries and mines all over the place, as well as several working quarries from where we source most of the materials for our stone carving courses.  We only use traditional hand tools for all our courses, no grinders or spinners here!

We also have workshop space to rent out to local stone masons and stone carvers, and have a 'Friends' network, so hopefully we'll have a great little community working away at Burngate in no time.

"Local quarrying and stone-tooling has nurtured skills and technologies, shaped the landscape, underpinned local identity and established Purbeck’s reputation across the land. The quality of the limestone, including the famed Purbeck ‘Marble’, has supported and attracted quarrymen, masons and sculptors since Roman times; an unbroken history that lies at the heart of local culture."

The aim of the Burngate Stone Carving Centre is to 'facilitate the working of stone in Purbeck accessible to all and as a foundation for recreational enjoyment, skilled vocations and rural regeneration'. So what are you waiting for, come and get involved! Stone carving for all!