A keen eye is needed to perfect an exacting craft that has been around since the mid-1400s

If you want a good stock-proof barrier, it takes hands-on techniques that date back to Roman times. Jon Henley reports

Stonemasonry is both art and a patient craft – but sooner or later you have to commit and free the shape with a chisel

From quills and ink to digital technology, Jon Henley finds illumination in the exacting craft of the modern scribe

In a disused post office depot, Jon Henley finds the skills to make the finest gentlemen's accessories are still making the cut

Still at the cutting edge of his craft, a 'little mester' shows Jon Henley the skills that once made his city the capital of cutlery

Once every village had a wood turner; now there's only one man in the country making a living from his lathe

Hundreds of firms once made these beechwood and wire meshes – now, only one craftsman remains, discovers Jon Henley

To create beautifully crafted wooden oars once used by Olympic athletes you need strong Canadian spruce and an eye for shaping and smoothing it

To make a violin sing, you need a steady hand, a fine eye and skills as polished as the hardwoods you shape, says Jon Henley

Used to gather flowers since the time of Henry VIII, these Sussex baskets are made by a tiny band of experts, says Jon Henley

To hand model highly decorative plaster, you need the finest tools and to be fast – you have just three hours before it sets, says Jon Henley