Ancestral Skills


ancestral skills | courses | kent | London | south east

Ancestral skills, often referred to as ‘primitive skills’, are the skills of our hunter gatherer ancestors and in large part consist of the ability to create and use tools from natural materials such as stone, bone, wood, plants and animals.  Clearly there is a huge cross over with bushcraft here, but we differentiate these ancestral skills as being prior to the use of metal tools.

As every single one of us is descended from hunter gatherers, these skills and knowledge form an intrinsic part of our being and soul.  Rediscover those skills by taking part in one of our ancestral skills courses.

To find out more about Jack Raven Bushcraft ancestral skills courses in Kent, and to book, simply select from the menu above or click below for further details.

  • 2 Day Buckskin Tanning Course
    Whilst buckskin literally means ‘the skin of a buck’, there’s a little more to it than that. Buckskin tanning is the process by which we create a soft, flexible, strong leather from the hide of an animal – usually a deer – tanned in the same way as the traditional deerskin clothing worn by some Native Americans. We’ll be using the hides of animals that have been butchered on our Deer Preparation & Butchery courses…[Further Details]
  • 1 Day Flint Knapping & Primitive Glues Course
    During this introductory one day flint knapping course you’ll learn the basics of flint knapping and the techniques you’ll need to create functional items.  You’ll start the day by looking at a range of tools where flint has been used for both the finished item and also in the production of other craft items…[Further Details]
  • 1 Day Bone Tools Course
    Working bone is a skill that was fundamental in our journey towards making evermore effective and reliable tools. Not only that, but making bone tools allowed our hunter gatherer ancestors to share a deeper connection with, and understanding of, the animals that they were so dependent upon.  Bone is a versatile material that can be used to make all manner of tools and craft items ranging from…[Further Details]
  • 1 Day Primitive Fishing Kits Course
    Fishing, whether active or passive, has been a means for us to secure food for thousands of years. Our hunter gatherer ancestors in the British Isles would have been very familiar with this technology taking advantage of streams, rivers, coastal areas and lakes… [Further Details]
  • 1 Day Coiled Basket Course
    Coiled baskets are baskets made from bunches of plant fibres such as straw or hay,  Those fibres are wound in a continuous spiral around themselves. The coils are kept in place using thread, the work being done stitch by stitch and coil by coil....[Further Details]
  • 1 Day Net Making Course
    Fish and small game made up an important part of our hunter gatherer ancestors diet, meaning that hand knitted net making was a crucial skill to master.  So we’ve put together this net making course to show you how to make your own net from entirely natural materials so that you can go away and make your own net for a variety of situations… [Further Details]
  • 1 Day Bark Containers Course
    Based at our ancient woodland camp in Kent, this 1 day course has been put together for anyone who would like to learn one of the most important, but often overlooked, skills in bushcraft – how to make bark containers  from the materials supplied to us by mother nature, such as various inner barks.  You don’t have to be an avid bushcrafter to benefit from this course, anyone with an interest in the… [Further Details]
  • 1 Day Basket Weaving Course
    Our hunter-gatherer ancestors were particularly skilled at making baskets using a host of different materials for a wide range of uses, from purely practical to ceremonial.  We’ve put together this basket weaving course for anyone who likes to use their hands and would like to learn this fabulous traditional rural craft...[Further Details]

Where do your courses take place?

Our courses take place in Westwell, Kent, just 50 miles from the centre of London, in spectacular ancient woodland. We are located in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We have access to around 60 or so acres of broadleaf woodland. Our camp is in a private woodland, which itself is in the middle of private land. It’s the perfect environment for you to learn ancestral skills.

What previous experience do I need?

All of our courses are designed so that you don’t need any previous experience, and are entirely hands on so that you leave us with having the real experience of practical and repeatable skills.

What facilities are available on your ancestral skills courses in Kent?

So that you can effectively learn the ancestral skills that we teach, we have created a learning environment in the woods.  Our ancestral skills courses in Kent are based at an expedition style camp with a yurt and wood burning stove, a parachute, a kitchen area, work benches and a composting toilet. We have areas where you can pitch a hammock, tarp or small tent, cleared of standing and hanging dead wood, or you can camp on the adjacent working farm campsite.

Call us to enquire about our bushcraft courses in Kent – 07553 763397