Winchcombe
Winchcombe's GalleryWinchcombe Pottery is situated in one of the most attractive parts of England, one mile out of the ancient town of Winchcombe on the Broadway Road. Nine miles from the famous Spa town of Cheltenham and with only six miles from Broadway it really is in the heart of Cotswolds. Michael Cardew, Bernard Leach’s first pupil, established Winchcombe Pottery in 1926 on the site of the derelict Beckett’s Pottery, as it was then called, dating back to the early 1800’s. This makes it one of the longest running craft potteries in the country and it ranks alongside Bernard Leach’s St Ives Pottery as one of the pioneer studio potteries in Britain.
‘Cardew’s arrival in 1926 was but a continuation of an extraordinary crafts renaissance that had been burgeoning in the Cotswolds since Gimson and the Barnsleys began making furniture in the area in the 1890’s …. It was, of course, very much in the back-to-nature and back-to-materials ethos of William Morris.’
David Whiting in ‘Winchcombe Pottery’ by Ron Wheeler
Michael Cardew’s outstanding work after he revived the old country pottery in 1926, and the tradition developed by Ray Finch after him, have earned Winchcombe a leading place in ceramic history. With its strong team ethos Winchcombe has been a magnet to generations of potters, some now very well known, who came to train there and were touched by its values.
The following people are mainly associated with Winchcombe: Sidney Tustin (from 1927 to 1978), Charles Tustin (form 1935 to 1954), Ray Finch (joined in 1936 and purchased the business from Michael Cardew in 1946), Michael Finch (now managing the pottery), Colin Pearson, Jim Malone, and many more.
Today’s range may be used in conventional as well as microwave ovens and dishwashers, which gives a very up-to-date practicality to such traditional stoneware. The only restrictions are that they should not be used under grills or on hot-plates or naked flames.
The glazes are harder than steel and even good old elbow grease will not wear them away!