Winchcombe Pottery is a historic pottery located in the town of Winchcombe in Gloucestershire, England and is known for its traditional handcrafted pottery. The pottery was established in 1926 by Michael Cardew, an influential figure in the British studio pottery movement. Cardew had trained under renowned potter Bernard Leach and was known for his dedication to traditional techniques and craftsmanship.
Under Cardew's leadership, Winchcombe Pottery gained a reputation for producing high-quality, functional pottery inspired by traditional English and Oriental designs. The pottery embraced the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, emphasizing simplicity, beauty, and the importance of handmade objects.
Cardew's approach to pottery was rooted in the belief that the craft should be accessible to all. He encouraged local workers and apprentices to join him at the pottery, where they learned the skills and techniques of pottery making. This community-based approach became a defining characteristic
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of Winchcombe Pottery.
Throughout its history, Winchcombe Pottery has maintained its commitment to handmade pottery produced using traditional methods. The pottery's wares are made from local clay and fired in wood-burning kilns, which impart unique qualities to the finished pieces.
In 1946 Ray Finch bought the business from Cardew and restarted the potter. The staff expanded and students joined the pottery staff to learn the craft as they worked, many of them going on to become established potters in their own right. But the business was not as successful as hoped and in the early 1950s, the pottery was downsized. The last bottle kiln firing took place in 1954.
Finch had always been inspired by the Japanese potter Shoji Hamada, and starting experiments with stoneware in 1952. A new stoneware kiln was built and slipware production continued using electric kilns until 1964 when all production switched to stoneware. In 1974 a wood fired kiln was built to replace the oil fired kiln for stoneware production and is still in use. In the 1960s the pottery began to supply tableware to the Cranks chain of vegetarian restaurants.
Two of Ray Finch's sons followed their father's career: Mike Finch who ran Winchcombe Pottery for a time and Joe Finch who runs his own pottery in Wales. Ray Finch, who continued work into his nineties, died on 18 January 2012.
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