Mike's Pots

Leach Pottery 2008

The Leach Pottery was reopened after a major restoration project in March 2008. These pictures, which were taken a couple of weeks later show the work that has been undertaken and hopefully give the viewer an idea of the way in which the pottery hopes to carry on the work started by Bernard Leach in the early twentieth century. When I last visited St. Ives the pottery looked in a sorry state, its transformation is now complete. The pottery cottage looks much the same but the pottery buildings have been redeveloped and the old showroom or shed has gone and has been replaced by an exhibition cube. At the rear of the site are the new pottery workshops which are accessed via wooden walkways, a Japanese style white gravel garden fills the central space. Three new kilns have been built at the end of the car park, these will soon be producing a new range of standard ware and individual pots. A permanent exhibition entitled The Bernard Leach Story is housed in the exhibition cube. A single large showcase with wonderful pots is complimented by a biographical timeline detailing the life of the great man. The pottery cottage is used as a shop and gallery space which will be used for visiting exhibitions. The inaugural exhibition features the work of John Leach and runs until April 12th 2008. Also for sale in the shop is a range of pots by British makers including an area dedicated to local Cornish potters featuring the work of ex-Leach potters Amanda Brier and Joanna Wason. Inside the pottery building is a new reception area leading to the old kiln and pottery rooms which apart from necessary structural work have been left exactly as they were before the restoration took place. Walking through this area was the highlight of my visit, so good to be able to stand next to the old fireplace where Bernard entertained his students and to see the old climbing kiln. At the time of writing, the feel is that of a museum, no doubt that will soon change when production commences under Lead Potter Jack Doherty and the new training programme gets underway.





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Leach Pottery, St. Ives

Leach Pottery, St. Ives

Left to right, new reception building, exhibition cube and pottery cottage

Left to right, new reception building, exhibition cube and pottery cottage

Old pottery studio area, showing board with examples of standardware glazes

Old pottery studio area, showing board with examples of standardware glazes

Inside the clayroom, sieves, ball mill and other apparatus

Inside the clayroom, sieves, ball mill and other apparatus

Inside the clayroom, old machinery

Inside the clayroom, old machinery

Inside the clayroon, bottle moulds

Inside the clayroon, bottle moulds

Glaze bins in the clay room

Glaze bins in the clay room

Inside the old studio, looking down to the fireplace - scene of Bernard's talks

Inside the old studio, looking down to the fireplace - scene of Bernard's talks

Old tools in the studio

Old tools in the studio

The fireplace in the studio

The fireplace in the studio

The three chamber climbing kiln

The three chamber climbing kiln

Janet Leach kiln

Janet Leach kiln

the walkway outside the new workshops over the Japanese garden to the back of the pottery cottage

the walkway outside the new workshops over the Japanese garden to the back of the pottery cottage

The old Leach Pottery Showroom sign

The old Leach Pottery Showroom sign

Exhibition cube to left, new workshops to right

Exhibition cube to left, new workshops to right

Disused raku kiln on the verandah at the back of the pottery cottage

Disused raku kiln on the verandah at the back of the pottery cottage

Bernard Leach showcase in the exhibition cube

Bernard Leach showcase in the exhibition cube

The three new kilns

The three new kilns

Pottery cottage from the car park with the new reception building to the left rear

Pottery cottage from the car park with the new reception building to the left rear

The new reception building

The new reception building

The old clay bins

The old clay bins

The new reception building with the old pottery buildings behind, the exhibition cube and the pottery cottage

The new reception building with the old pottery buildings behind, the exhibition cube and the pottery cottage

John Leach cider jar in basket

John Leach cider jar in basket

The old kiln room chimney

The old kiln room chimney