Pottery Classes in East Sussex

Pottery classes in East Sussex are available with Alexander and Sophie at Gillshaw Pottery, taught from their working shepherd’s hut studio in Barcombe. Classes are offered either one-to-one or two-to-one. Whether you are a complete beginner, ready to tackle six-kilogram balls of clay, or somewhere in between, these lessons give you the chance to explore your passion for ceramics. Prices start at £35 per hour. You can request a date using the form below.

The studio has two electric wheels where you can throw to your heart’s content. Alexander or Sophie will be on hand to help, guide, and encourage you throughout your session. Beginners will start by mastering centering, and a gentle warning is due here because it takes time. Once you have it, the world opens up, and you can progress from making smaller pots to larger pieces.

Gillshaw Pottery Classes in East Sussex Overview

What You Will Learn

  • Centering, pulling, and shaping clay on the wheel

  • Hand-building techniques and simple forms

  • Turning and refining your pots

  • Slip decoration, brushwork and glazing

  • How to finish your pieces for firing

Who This Class Is For

  • Complete beginners who want a calm introduction

  • Improvers who want to build confidence

  • Anyone exploring pottery as a new creative path

  • Those looking for an unrushed, personal learning experience

What You Will Make

You will create a small collection of pieces during your session. This may include bowls, mugs, small plates, or decorative forms. We will guide you through choosing the pieces that will be fired once they are dry.

If you already have well-developed skills, Alexander and Sophie can help you advance your technique. Alexander enjoys throwing large plates and serving dishes, while Sophie excels at turning and will teach you her precise approach. If you want to perfect adding handles to mugs, Sophie is the one to guide you.

Pottery Workshops in the Garden Studio

All of Gillshaw Pottery’s work begins with terracotta earthenware clay. After your piece is thrown and turned, it is time to decorate. You may want to explore English slipware or try styles inspired by Delft or Majolica. Whether you prefer flowerpots or simple dipped glazes, everything is possible.

Your time with us is yours to shape. You may want a taster session, a few relaxed hours now and then, or perhaps you are considering a bigger change, as we once did, when we left our jobs to become potters. Whatever your path, we welcome you.

Ideal for individuals or for 2, these intimate sessions take place in Sophie’s light-filled shepherd’s hut studio. You’ll explore hand-throwing techniques, experiment with slips, glazing, and enjoy one-to-one guidance in a relaxed setting.

Class Size: Maximum 2 people

  • Duration: 2.0 hours

  • Includes: Tuition, materials, refreshments, and firing of selected finished pieces

  • Introductory offer: £35 per hour for one person, or £50 per hour for two people.

Below you can find some frequently asked questions, but if you have any questions at all, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call, email, or simply fill out the booking form below.

  • Note book, Apron, cloths (hand towel), any of your own pottery tools if you have any. 

    All materials and tools are provided in the studio. We recommend wearing clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.

    Tea, coffee, and refreshments are included.

  • Our studio is based in Barcombe, near Lewes, East Sussex. You’ll find us in the garden of our cottage home, surrounded by countryside views.

    You can find the location here: https://what3words.com/snow.employers.chest

    Our address is also listed here.

  • If you’re anything like us, a mess!

    Realistically, though, whatever you can. We will encourage you to concentrate on the basics to start with. Beyond that, it is your journey, and the beautiful thing about clay and it can be shaped, with skill,  into any form.

    Hopefully, then you can throw whatever you want.

    • Yes, within reason. Your favourite pieces will be fired. If it is a one off, after your class, and we’ll contact you when it’s ready to collect. If you’re visiting from further away, we can arrange to post your pieces for a small additional charge.

    • If you are in for the long haul, we will select various pieces to fire to coincide with our firings. The cost of the lessons takes into consideration firing of smaller pieces. If you get to the stage where you want to fire multiple items, and frequently, we will no doubt come to an arrangement.

  • We understand plans can change. If you need to cancel or move your booking, please let us know as soon as possible. We can usually reschedule your session if given at least 1 week’s notice.

    If you need to cancel with less notice, the fee will unfortunately be forfeited. However, you’re very welcome to gift your booking to a friend or family member instead.

Ready to get started? Please fill out the contact form below and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible. Please note that we aren’t always able to schedule your pottery class on your preferred date and time, but we’ll certainly do our best. We can’t wait to welcome you to the East Sussex countryside and our humble shepherd's hut for an introduction to pottery.