Sussex

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/1-11-1000x667.jpg" alt="pottery class" class="wp-image-71839" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/1-11-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/1-11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/1-11-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/1-11.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Searching for a pottery class? That’s no surprise, it’s certainly having a moment! This is no doubt thanks to the popularity of the TV’s the Great Pottery Throw Down as well as the trend of doing crafts to help with mental wellbeing. So if you’ve not joined the clay train yet, then it’s high time you did. An ideal place to start is at a taster workshop hosted by the Muddy Award winning, The Clay Studio, Heron’s Ghyll. You may want to work up to trying out the wheel, no matter how much you want to imagine you’re with Patrick Swayze. But for now, that ‘creative mind’ of yours will need to focus on the beautiful basics of clay craft and pottery. Once you’ve caught the bug and had the gentle guidance of the team here, you’ll certainly have a new hobby. &nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-location">THE LOCATION</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/2-11-1000x667.jpg" alt="pottery class" class="wp-image-71840" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/2-11-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/2-11-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/2-11-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/2-11.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Flanked by the beauty of Ashdown Forest and the convenience of Uckfield, The Clay Studio is perfectly positioned with sweeping views across the South Downs. Muddy certainly lived up to her name on this trip &#8211;&nbsp; a punctured tyre meant the bus was my mode of transport but wow, how easy that was. The bus goes directly from Brighton and stops right by the studio. If I’d been paying more attention I’d have got off at the right location and not had to walk on the verge. Word to the wise: Barnsgate Manor is the stop you need. It takes five minutes to walk from the main road to the studio and there are lots of signs &#8211; ideal for someone with my sense of direction or lack of. You instantly feel at ease with a sense of calm and peace. I can see why it used to be a wedding venue &#8211; it’s so photogenic!



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe">THE VIBE</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/4-8-1000x667.jpg" alt="pottery class" class="wp-image-71841" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/4-8-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/4-8-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/4-8-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/4-8.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Depending on what mood I’m in, heading to classes on my own can be a little intimidating. But as soon as I walked into the barn which houses The Clay Studio I felt at ease. There is oodles of light, a beautiful white space and no surprises, but lots of stunning pottery creations. Ok, who am I kidding it was the tea and flapjacks on arrival that made me feel right at home. My teacher, Helen, was all smiles as she handed me an apron and made everyone feel very welcome. It didn’t feel precious or pretentious, this felt very much like a place you could crack a joke, ask for help and actually, be a bit rubbish at pottery. Not that the lovely staff would ever let you feel that way, just with creative classes it’s nice to feel as if you can mess it all up and still enjoy it.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-class">THE CLASS</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/3-8-1000x667.jpg" alt="pottery class" class="wp-image-71842" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/3-8-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/3-8-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/3-8-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/3-8.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



I signed up to the Pottery Taster Workshop-a wise idea given I’ve only tried a two-hour session on a pottery wheel where my long nails messed the whole thing up and my mum now has a wonky plant pot that only a mother could love. Things at The Clay Studio played out very different, and rather well if I&#8217;m allowed to boast. 



Once at our little work stations, Helen told the class we’re going to make a vase or pencil pot using our hands and a variety of non sinister looking tools. Better still, we’d be going to forage outside for some leaves and plants to imprint into the clay to give it some character. We were advised that less is more but that we’re free to create it how we we like. The top of our vases be they straight, wavy or on the diagonal was all down to us and we were taken through it step by step. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/6-3-1000x667.jpg" alt="pottery class" class="wp-image-71843" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/6-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/6-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/6-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/6-3.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



It’s a gentle place to be, the teaching is lighthearted and funny but there’s a sense of calm as people get to grips with clay. Just by moving it and cutting and shaping, you start to learn its properties and also, how quickly it can dry out! Using a tool called a kidney (thanks to its shape) we slowly smoothed out our clay before heading outside to pick the leaves and flowers.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/8-1-1000x667.jpg" alt="pottery class" class="wp-image-71844" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/8-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/8-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/8-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/8-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



In my excitement I certainly missed parts of the process but Helen was more than happy to repeat herself and check in. You don’t feel left alone, there’s real teaching going on here. She does a demo first, then be on standby as you try to repeat it all. 



The class sizes are small so you get the right attention and don’t have to fight over the paint brushes when you reach the final stage of the glazing. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-result">THE RESULT</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/9-1-1000x667.jpg" alt="pottery class" class="wp-image-71846" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/9-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/9-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/9-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/sussex/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2025/02/9-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Well, I won’t be winning the Turner Prize anytime soon, but my second foray into pottery ended much better than the previous. I thoroughly enjoyed my time, learnt a little more about a new hobby and felt relaxed and revived. As for the vase, after being fired up in the kiln, it was available to collect two weeks after the class and actually it wasn’t all that bad. I’ll let you be the judge. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict-nbsp">THE MUDDY VERDICT?&nbsp;</h3>



Good for: My class was a lovely mix of dads and their kids, old friends as well as solo day trippers like myself. It was a friendly environment but you wanted to potter about quietly, you’ll feel free to do so. 



Not for: Who wouldn’t love playing with pottery? I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy this class.



<a href="https://theclay.studio/">The Clay Studio</a>, Barnsgate Manor Vineyard, Herons Ghyll, East Sussex, TN22 4DB



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Go potty! Muddy reviews taster pottery class at The Clay Studio, Heron’s Ghyll

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