Let’s see if I can complete the accounts of my English holiday with this blog. I had just three days to spend with my sister Mary, enjoy Salisbury again, see some friends and find another potter.
On the Monday I’d arranged to have lunch with my god-daughter Amanda and her husband Clive. Their new home is Mallard House so of course I needed to make a Mallard jugbird for them. We enjoyed a walk across the water meadows, in view of lovely Salisbury Cathedral, to lunch at The Old Mill pub at Harnham.
After lunch we walked back via the Cathedral Close (where my Mum lived for many years) and the Cathedral, to Mary’s house. I gave Amanda her jugbird and I think she’ll enjoy it.
Thank you for driving down from Cricklade for the afternoon, Clive and Amanda.
Mary had kindly offered to drive me wherever I wanted so the Tuesday was reserved for yet another pub lunch. This time we drove over to Shroton, in Dorset, where we grew up. We were joined at the Cricketer’s Arms by siblings Diana and Richard (with Rose, Richard’s friend), who lived on the farm across the road from the Rectory. We talked for a long time and then drove around the village, looked at Hambledon Hill and strolled through the churchyard, revisiting family and familiar village names.
On my final full day with Mary the rain came down in buckets and it was her birthday! In the morning she’d invited me to attend a meeting of The Arts Society and we enjoyed an amusing and fascinating lecture by Louise Schofield, coincidentally titled ‘Adventures in Archaeology’. Her work in Albania, Zeugma in Turkey, and in Ethiopia have been very different from my husband’s West Coast adventures in archaeology.
Later in the day we drove the short distance to Broadchalke to meet potter Ian Morrison. I’d read that he fires with salt and, lucky for me, today was the day he would be opening the latest firing in his propane-fuelled kiln. Knighton Mill Pottery is deep in the Chalke Valley, and even in the pouring rain I could see what a fine location he and his English wife enjoy, for work and to have their children attend the local school. Ian is from Arkansas and has studied ceramics in the States and in China and enjoyed working at the Leach Pottery in St. Ives. Details of his impressive resume can be found here:
I was pleased to have found Ian working in his studio, particularly as he began to spend the rainy evening unloading his latest order of plates and bowls. His restrained Leach-style selection of pottery will be mainly headed for restaurant commissions. He opens the studio to local customers just occasionally, and this year his seasonal sale takes place this coming weekend. If you live near Salisbury, Wiltshire here is the invitation.
Our Annual Open Studio Sale
Please join Ian for the pottery’s annual open studio day.
As usual there will be sale prices on old stock and good seconds, plus a range of unique salt glazed tableware available for purchase.
We hope to see you at the studio.
Knighton Mill Pottery Knighton Road Broad Chalke SP5 5DX
Thank you for taking time to welcome Mary and me to your studio, Ian. I’m so pleased to have met you and wish you much success in your ceramics future. I hope I’ll have a chance to see your work again one day.
That evening Mary treated us both to a fine meal at Salisbury’s Côte Restaurant to celebrate her birthday.
Next morning, after a fast shopping trip in the town, it was time for me to take the train back to London. On that last afternoon I travelled from Waterloo down to Wimbledon and was treated to dinner with my niece Julia and her family. What a lovely last evening before flying back to Vancouver. Thank you Julia et al.
Have enjoyed reading your blogs as you travelled around the country. Glad you enjoyed yourself! x
Thanks Liz. I did enjoy myself, but I could have used a few more days!