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The Clayrooms

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The Clayrooms

Bringing people together through pottery! Ashbourne | Loughborough | Peak Village Workshops ~ Courses ~ Memberships ~ Events ~ Shop
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14/06/2026

✨ Potter of the Week – Mandy Holgate ✨

Just look at these beautiful handmade ceramic garden markers created by Mandy Holgate at our Ashbourne studio. 🌿👐

From beans and peas to courgettes and tomatoes, each marker has been individually made and decorated to add a little personality to the garden while helping keep everything organised.

One of the things we love most about pottery is that it doesn't always have to be decorative or displayed on a shelf. Sometimes the most satisfying pieces are the ones that become part of everyday life and get used again and again.

Mandy's collection is a wonderful example of how clay can be both creative and practical, bringing colour, character and a handmade touch to the garden. 🌱

Give Mandy some love in the comments 👏

Feeling inspired to create something of your own?

Whether you're interested in pottery or curious about sculpture or have always wanted a go at throwing clay on a wheel, we'd love to welcome you into the studio. 👐

13/06/2026

🤔 Wheel Throwing or Handbuilding?

If you've ever thought about trying pottery, you've probably wondered where to start.

The good news? There isn't a right answer. 👐

🌀 Wheel Throwing

Love the idea of learning a new skill? Wheel throwing is all about movement, rhythm and practice. There's nothing quite like the feeling of turning a lump of clay into a mug, bowl or vase right before your eyes.

🌿 Handbuilding

Prefer a slower, more relaxed approach? Handbuilding lets you create at your own pace using simple techniques like coiling, pinching and slab building. It's perfect for exploring your creativity and making pieces full of personality.

The best part? You don't need to choose forever!

Many potters enjoy both, and each teaches you something different about working with clay.

So tell us... which would you try first? 👇

07/06/2026

💍 Not every hen party needs cocktails and matching t-shirts...

Sometimes all you need is clay, laughter and your favourite people. 👐✨

We recently welcomed this lovely group to our Loughborough pottery studio for a creative hen party packed with throwing, making, messy hands and plenty of laughs.

No experience needed.

No pressure to be artistic.

Just a chance to try something new together and create memories you'll still be talking about long after the wedding day. 💛

One of the things we love most about pottery is how quickly it breaks the ice. Within minutes everyone is chatting, laughing, helping each other and getting completely absorbed in the clay.

Thinking about planning a hen party with a difference?

We'd love to help make it special. ✨

Would your friendship group enjoy this? 👇

02/06/2026

We have spaces on our Tuesday morning Handbuilding course, this term we will be using botanicals to create our fabulous work. No experience required, term starts 9th June.

31/05/2026

🌿 Potter of the Week – John Rollins 🌿

This week's featured maker from our Peak studio is John Rollins with his beautifully detailed Green Man sculpture.

Hand sculpted and decorated using oxides, the piece demonstrates the creative possibilities that clay offers beyond functional pottery. Through texture, form and surface decoration, John has created a piece full of character and storytelling.

One of the most rewarding aspects of studio life is seeing makers develop projects that reflect their individual interests and inspirations. Work like this is a reminder that pottery can be as much about artistic expression as it is about learning technique.

We're fortunate to be surrounded by talented makers across our studios, and John's Green Man is a wonderful example of creativity brought to life through clay.

24/05/2026

🐸✨ Kids Trinket Dish Workshop ✨🐸
Looking for a creative activity this half term?

Join us for a fun hands-on pottery workshop where kids aged 6–16 can sculpt and decorate their very own trinket dish to take home and treasure. 👐🎨
From frogs and flowers to funky monsters and colourful creatures, this workshop is all about imagination, creativity and getting stuck into clay!

✨ Guided 90-minute session at our Loughborough studio
🎨 Sculpt and decorate in one workshop
🧒 Ages 6–16
📅 Friday 30th May
⏰ 11am–12:30pm
💷 £20 per child

No experience needed - just creativity and a willingness to get a little messy 💛

Spaces are limited, so booking is recommended!

23/05/2026

✨ Potter of the Week – Laura Harrison ✨

Just look at the detail in this beautiful ceramic piece created by Laura Harrison at our Ashbourne studio 💙👐

From the carved patterns to the stunning turquoise glazes, every angle feels full of character and creativity. We absolutely love seeing how makers gradually develop their own unique style over time, and Laura’s work always stands out on the shelf. 🌿

One of the best parts of studio life is watching confidence grow piece by piece — from first experiments with clay to work like this.

Give Laura some love in the comments 👏

Thinking about trying pottery yourself?
Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to build your skills, we’d love to welcome you into the studio.

19/05/2026

🌀 Our next batch of throwing courses is now live across The Clayrooms studios… and they’ll be the last ones until September 👀

If you’ve been thinking about learning to throw on the pottery wheel, this is the perfect time to start.

Across five relaxed weekly sessions, you’ll learn everything from clay prep and centering through to trimming, glazing and adding handles - creating your own handmade ceramic pieces along the way 👐

✨ Loughborough – Beginner Throwing Course
📍 Tuesdays from 30th June
⏰ 10am–12noon or 7–9pm

Learn all the throwing basics while creating your own set of handmade mugs.

(Just ONE evening space left 👀)

✨ Peak Village – 5-Week Throwing Courses
📍 Wednesdays 1–3pm
📍 Saturdays 10am–12noon
🗓️ From June

Perfect for beginners wanting to build confidence on the wheel in a relaxed and supportive studio environment.

✨ Ashbourne – 5-Week Throwing Course with Derek
📍 Tuesdays 7–9pm
🗓️ From June

Join our newest throwing tutor Derek for evening pottery sessions at our Ashbourne studio 🌀

Already know the basics and ready for the next step?

Our Intermediate Vase Throwing Course at Loughborough starts Thursday 2nd July and focuses on creating everything from delicate bud vases to larger sculptural pieces using heavier clay weights, advanced trimming techniques and handbuilt details.

✨ Intermediate Vase Throwing
📍 Thursdays from 2nd July
⏰ 7–9pm

Whether you’re completely new to the wheel or ready to push your skills further, these courses are designed to feel supportive, creative and genuinely enjoyable.

And judging by the pieces from our last course… you’ll leave with something pretty special 💛

Which studio would you choose? 👇

Peak Village

14/05/2026

One pottery course. Completely different results ☕✨

These handmade ceramic brunch and breakfast sets were created during a recent handbuilding pottery course at The Clayrooms, and one of the best parts was seeing how differently everyone interpreted the same starting point.

Same techniques.
Same brief.
Completely different outcomes.

From bold graphic patterns to soft coastal glazes, sculptural edges to functional breakfast pieces, every set ended up reflecting its maker in a completely different way.

That’s one of the things we love most about handbuilding with clay. There’s never just one “right” result.

These kinds of pottery workshops are not about perfection. They’re about creativity, experimentation, learning new ceramic techniques and making something genuinely personal by hand.
And honestly… we couldn’t be more proud of what everyone produced!

Which set would you choose for your own kitchen? 🍽️

10/05/2026

Peak Village Pottery Studio 🤎
This week we’re celebrating Amanda Murdoch and her beautifully detailed sgraffito flower mugs, created at our Peak Village pottery studio.

Using carving and decorative techniques, Amanda’s work shows how simple forms can be transformed through pattern, texture and personal style. It’s a lovely example of how skills learned in pottery classes can develop into something completely your own over time.

If you’ve been thinking about trying a pottery class in the Peak District, this is a great place to start. Which one would you pick for your morning coffee? ☕

Peak Village

Address

19 Dig Street
Ashbourne
DE61GF

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

7725362329

Website

https://www.theclayrooms.co.uk/

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