The Shop

The skills that built the world's greatest buildings... are still being taught.

The Castle in Eastford becomes a living workshop where architects, designers, preservationists, and master craftspeople come together to learn the timeless skills that keep historic buildings alive.

Dates

TBD

Place

Eastford, Connecticut

Capacity

30 places across three tracks

The Workshops

Three tracks · Booked by the place

I Conservation Studio I

Flooring & Historic Woodworking

Learn from renowned English joiner Vincent Reed as he leads participants through the restoration and conservation of historic flooring and decorative woodwork within The Castle's remarkably intact interior and Masonic Lodge. Combining traditional craftsmanship with practical preservation, you'll explore the repair, restoration, and stewardship of historic interior finishes.

Led by

Vincent Reed

Length

Three days

Places

10 places

TBD

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II Conservation Studio II

Decorative Painting & Stenciling

Work alongside master decorative paint conservator Maeve Woolley as original schemes uncovered within The Castle are studied, recreated, and returned to life. Learn traditional distemper painting over lime plaster and help recreate historic stencil designs in the original parlor.

Led by

Maeve Woolley

Length

Three days

Places

8 places

TBD

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III Foundation Workshop

Historic Window Restoration

Discover why historic windows are among the most important character-defining features of traditional buildings, and learn the practical skills to conserve them. Designed for beginners, this workshop guides you through assessment, sash removal, glazing, wood repairs, and linseed-oil finishing.

Led by

Tera Hayward

Length

Three days

Places

12 places

TBD

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“

You cannot learn a lime plaster from a book. You learn it with your hands cold and the light going, in a room that has waited two hundred years for you to get it right.

Michiel Brouns