Buckskin has an interesting history, in that it was the clothing worn by the native Americans at the time of the Europeans travelling to colonise the new world. At that time the Europeans had not encountered it for a long time as the common man was not allowed to hunt the aristocracies deer. Following a change to the Magna Carta in 1785 death or de limbing was no longer a punishment for taking a deer. Instead it was a year and a day in prison, after which if you had no means to keep yourself you made an oath never to return to England. Those in the Americas began to wear it from labourers to gentry. Then from 1755-1773 records show that 2,601,152 lbs of hide were imported into England from one port alone. By the 1750's brain and smoke tanned buckskin was the favoured garment of the wealthy European on their hunting trips. It was imported from the new world in huge quantities.
Come and spend a couple of days in the woods turning hides into buckskin using the brain tanning method. During the course we will explore other methods and other products available in the process. This is a physical activity and requires a reasonable level of fitness.
