Chris Topp & Company has the distinction of being the only blacksmith company in the world today still rolling and supplying genuine wrought iron.

As such this rural north Yorkshire company, employing a unique team of traditional craftsmen, regularly undertakes commissions to restore ancient works of wrought iron in cathedrals and great buildings such as the Houses of Parliament.

However, rarely does his company have the opportunity to create in wrought iron a large new work of art such as a   reredos in a building as large and prestigious as Ely Cathedral. 

Chris Topp and his team have just finished constructing a five metre wide and five-metre high screen for Ely the cathedral’s Lady Chapel.    It is in a central location behind the altar and under the large main east window of the Chapel. This part of the cathedral dates back to the fourteenth century and still today daily services are held. An altar table and candle standards are also being made at Chris Topp’s workshops in Carlton Husthwaite near Thirsk.

The project comprises the largest piece of elaborate ecclesiastical wrought iron work created by the Chris Topp Company in its 30-year history.  It is also possible that the screen is the largest piece of new ironwork placed in 900-year-old Ely Cathedral for nearly two centuries.  “We are proud to think that our new screen could remain in the cathedral for centuries” says Chris Topp.

“It has been a privilege for my company to have been commissioned to undertake this work and an honour for the talented group of traditional blacksmiths working with me” says Chris Topp.

The screen has been designed by John Maddison, a Cambridgeshire based artist and expert on medieval architecture.  “I was pleased to recommend Chris Topp for the commission of this intricate construction because I have worked with him before and am an admirer of the quality and skill of his team” says John.  He added: “Chris is very experienced in this field and brings his own personal contribution to the finished product”.

The work has been done in traditional style, emulating the high standard of craftsmen working in wrought iron for centuries and rarely practised today.  For example there is no modern electric welding of joints: instead the time-honoured use of wedges has been employed on the screen.

John Maddison’s design is very modern in concept and is cleverly arranged to show off the remains of an early, fourteenth century reredos, carved into the chapel wall.  A rectilinear framework is distinguished by the use of blacksmith-made pierced joints held together in time-honoured fashion by means of iron wedges. Projecting upper parts of the screen add another dimension while their style makes reference to their gothic surroundings.

Chris Topp & Company scours the world for ancient wrought iron that can be re-rolled for use today.  The screen for Ely Cathedral was made with wrought iron that previously was part of large chains raised from the seabed of the former Gibraltar naval dockyard! The use of wrought iron, well known for its long life, as well as being a joy for the smiths to work with, will guarantee that the reredos will last for a few centuries to come.

Technical Information and Interesting Facts

• Year built - 2011
• Idea first conceived - Started to explore the possibilities of refurbishing the East End of the Chapel in 2006.
• Commissioned by - Ely Cathedral
• Funding - Friends of Ely Cathedral
• Designer - John Maddison
• Materials: - Screen - genuine wrought iron with cast iron cyphers, Alter – Mild Steel Candle Stick – Wrought iron
• Hours to build - 235
• Hours to install on site - 146
• Staff involved - Rolling Mill Team – rolling the wrought iron - Mike De Renzis & Andy Whitehead Blacksmiths & Crafts Persons - Arek Kropidlowski, Oliver Boyett, Annabel Liquori.  Site Install team - Phil Beckwith, Mike De Renzis, Oliver Boyett and Annabel Liquori.

Comments from John Maddison the Designer

“The quality of the iron work is really lovely and from the moment that the first sections were placed against the medieval reredos it looked completely at home in the building. You can never tell how such a thing is going to work until it is installed and I was duly apprehensive but the result is exactly what I had hoped for. Needless to say the design was greatly improved by the powerfully expressive joints which you devised. The whole thing has a strongly medieval character seems to me worthy of its remarkable setting.”

• Location : Ely

• Client : Ely Cathedral

• Designer : John Maddison

• Year : 2011

• Material: Wrought Iron

Blink Films filmed at our workshop for a documentary about the Eiffel Tower called ‘Monumental Challenge’.

The Eiffel Tower has undergone a restoration programme, the first major works since the tower was built in 1889. It was built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, which was to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the French Revolution. Its construction in 2 years, 2 months and 5 days was a technical and architectural achievement and was only intended to last for 20 years.

Blink Films have captured this major programme of works and explains how, this now iconic monument, has stood the test of time and why the wrought iron material used in its creation is so important.

Blink Films filmed at our workshop the processes, which we still use, that would have been used in the making of the 7,300 tonnes of wrought iron for the Eiffel Tower’s construction.

Chris Topp & Company based in Tholthorpe near York, has the distinction of being the only blacksmith company in the world today still rolling and supplying genuine wrought iron.

This documentary is being shown on the History Channel on the 29^th March at 9pm.

Why are gates and railings the last consideration when it’s the first thing people see?

Gates and railings not only distinguish the entrance and perimeter to a property they create a first impression to all visitors and passers-by. We often ask ourselves us why house owners will spend freely on the interior design and furnishings in the hope of creating a good impression but totally overlook the front boundary. It is an important enhancement to any property and has traditionally been seen as part of the overall architectural concept. Gates and Railings are a symbol of good taste and status. Stately homes traditionally commissioned grand and lavish designs to grace a main entrance.

Today, gates and railings are a focal feature and increasingly a medium of expression, both personally and sculpturally; a piece of art combining beauty and function that everyone can appreciate. They add a feel good factor to a property, quality in the form of craftsmanship, using traditional techniques to recreate time-honoured designs. Ironwork is individual yet distinctive, combining traditional skills and designs that have stood the test of time.

Railings are functional boundaries defining a space, an attitude re-enforced by the fact that heritage grant aid has in many cases been used to reinstate period railings, removed in The Second World War for scrap, designs being copied from old photographs. These often reflect the design ethos of the time in terms of proportion, style and quality of manufacture, a tradition that continues to this day, although increasingly we are asked to develop new and more artistic ideas.

So why, are gates and railings so often one of the last items to be commissioned?  Budget constraints, over spend, lack of interest? Surely the front garden and driveway should not merely act as a thoroughfare to the sanctuary of the house, but rather announce to the world the dedication, care and love that has gone into making this home?

If nothing else, nicely designed Gates and Railings create a first impression that can make a real statement, showing the onlooker your understanding and appreciation of quality design and craftsmanship as well as giving your home a sense of grandeur and privacy.

Chris Topp & Co won a 1^st, two 2^nd’s, a 3^rd and was awarded the ‘Champion’ of the show and also a ‘Special’ award in the metalwork competition at this year’s Yorkshire Show - July 2011.

There were several ‘classes’ for various types of metal work, in the ‘Traditional’ class – where work needed to be forge welded, a traditional technique used when working with hot metal, they won 1st prize and ‘Champion - Best in Show’ with their 6ft tall candle standard.

This piece was made for Stirling Castle, as part of a metal work contract.

Arek Kropidlowski, one of their employees won the ‘Special’ award with his water leaves and tendrils piece.

In the ‘Contemporary’ class they won a 2^nd for their ‘fun’ piece - the birds nest and a 3^rd for a hand forged decorative panel. In the ‘Open’ class a sample panel showing the finer detailing won 2^nd place.

Chris Topp and Co based at Thirsk and Tholthorpe, are well known as leaders in this country of heritage iron work restoration – they are the only company in the world today still rolling genuine wrought iron - and their work can be seen in such prestigious buildings as St Paul’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. In their rural locations they also design and create modern structures working in cast iron, steel, bronze, brass and copper.

When a young enthusiastic and ambitious Chris Topp started up his own blacksmith business in rural North Yorkshire, he could not have dreamt that 30 years later he could boast amongst his clients Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Hampton Court and a long list of stately homes, cathedrals and major historic public and commercial buildings.

This year, 2012, is the 30th anniversary Chris Topp Ltd. The company is now regarded as the market leader in Britain in the restoration of heritage ironwork, particularly in their speciality of genuine wrought iron.   They believe they are the only company in the world still producing wrought iron!

They also have an excellent reputation in the design and production of new high quality ironwork, working not only in wrought iron, but with a variety of metals – cast iron, mild and stainless steel, bronze, brass and copper included.  

And while Chris Topp appreciates the prestige and image boost that results from working on large national heritage sites, he and his team are equally at home creating small objects making repairs to churches ‘ ironwork and commissions for private houses.

The company also administer within their two rural workshops north of York, the Real Wrought Iron Company which produces charcoal and puddled wrought iron which is both used in their own work and supplied to other blacksmiths. Genuine wrought iron -resistant to corrosion- can last centuries and was produced many centuries before the industrial revolution eventually lead to the introduction of mass-produced mild steel.

Today the company has 15 employees including a number of highly skilled smiths with various specialist forging experience – a far cry from Chris and one young apprentice back in 1982. He recalls his proud first commission of making the historic ironwork at Middleton Hall near York when it became a luxury hotel. It earned him £9,000, a huge sum in those days.

Over the years there has been steady growth in the company which is now fortunate to regularly handle contracts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds from well-known commercial and government bodies.

Chris has a real passion particularly in the field of restoration of ancient ironwork, and new ironwork for ancient buildings. A good example was made last year (2011) when the company created a new altar screen for Ely Cathedral using ancient materials and techniques but to a modern design. Says Chris Topp: “it gives my team and I quite a thrill when we realise that this item is likely to remain in this location, untouched for centuries”. The screen and accompanying items were made in genuine wrought iron and re-rolled from anchor chains acquired from the former Gibraltar naval yard.

There is a huge public misconception on what is genuine wrought iron however Chris Topp & Co are experts in the field. Often any form of intricate iron work in gardens or on gates and railings is incorrectly referred to as being ‘wrought iron’ while in fact being made in cast iron or mild steel.   You are certainly not likely to find any product in your local DIY store made of genuine wrought iron and the difference in value between the ‘real thing’ and imitations is enormous as is the life expectancy of the two products.

It is of no surprise therefore that the company is often called in by Trading Standards officers and other bodies to advise as to the authenticity of an alleged item of ‘wrought iron’. ‘Important’ says Chris, ‘because of the need to increase the understanding of the production of traditional iron materials’.

To Chris too many priceless pieces of historic wrought iron are being ruined forever by the repair or restoration with iron and steel materials and not real wrought iron.   He works tirelessly in the field of metallurgy and archaeology in raising the standard of restoration work by blacksmiths and bodies working in the field of historic buildings. He is frequently consulted on archaeology by bodies such as the BBC ‘Time Team’ film makers.

As Chris Topp looks to the future he has increasing worries about the training of new entrants to heritage ironwork. He was a leading light in the formation in 2009 of the National Heritage Ironwork Group (NHIG).

NHIG aims to preserve the skills of ancient ironwork smiths and thanks to help from a Heritage Lottery Fund grant awarded under its ‘Skills for the Future’ programme has set up a training bursary. There is little formal training for heritage blacksmiths in the Europe and Chris Topp and Co frequently employ other nationalities keen to gain experience in ornamental design and restoration work.

Chris would also like to see the profile of blacksmiths raised and their artistic work recognised as an art form. Although there are thousands of great ornamental ironwork items in this country blacksmiths are seldom represented as artists.

Chris would like to encourage the incorporation of high quality ornamental metalwork into the design of prestigious new buildings. The provision of gates and railings is often left to last when they are the first thing visitors see and the opportunity is lost to give that all important first good impression?