Hempmill Pottery & Cookery School

Courses at Hempmill

Pottery Classes

At Hempmill Pottery we run high quality daytime and evening classes with a maximum of 8 people per class, taught by Richard, a professional potter and selected member of the Craft Potters Association. Richard is a qualified teacher who has taught adult education for over 25 years. He gives demonstrations, workshops and master classes nationally.

Classes are suitable for all abilities from beginners to improvers, and include group demonstrations and one to one tuition. All classes include tea, coffee and cake.

Classes run in sync with school terms; two 6-week blocks per term with one or two weeks in between each class, with a longer break in summer. 

We currently run Tuesday morning, Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning and Wednesday evening classes. 

The fee for each 6-week block is £270, payable in advance. This covers all tuition, materials and firing costs. Particularly large pieces may incur an extra charge.

Students have access to four different clays, electric and gas reduction firing and a wide range of glazes as well as specialist projects including pit firing.

We also offer specialist master classes and summer schools; please sign up to our newsletter for information on future events, or email us go on the waiting list for full classes (current students have priority booking).

Hempmill Pottery & Cookery School

Cookery Classes

Lucy learned to cook, bake and teach at Leiths School of Food and Wine, and at Virtuous Bread in London. She teaches small, informal, friendly classes with hands-on cooking and demonstrations. All classes include lunch, tea & coffee and snacks.

We are currently focusing on baking at Hempmill and our core lessons are Basic Bread and Sourdough. We also run seasonal classes such as Easter Baking and specialist classes such as Gluten Free Cooking. Sign up to our newsletter to receive updates on new classes.

Learn to Bake

Baking & cookery lessons with qualified chef and teacher Lucy Heeley.
Small, informal, friendly classes with practical cooking and demonstrations.
All abilities welcome.

Classes make great presents and will be available as vouchers in our shop. All classes include lunch, tea & coffee.

Private lessons are also available in all types of cooking – just let me know what you want to learn!

Basic Bread

Our most popular lesson, this course is all about gaining the confidence to bake at home. Everyone makes his or her own wheat bread and Irish soda bread.

We learn how to use yeast and different types of flour, as well as kneading, proving, shaping & baking dough.

Lucy demonstrates rye bread for you to try. Students take home a goodie bag with their breads and a comprehensive recipe pack, as well as the confidence to bake delicious loaves at home without any special equipment.

10am – 2.30pm. £75 including lunch and refreshments.

Learn to Bake Sourdough

This course is about demystifying sourdough; it’s a lot easier than many books would have you believe!

Students will each make both a wheat and a rye sourdough loaf, as well as unusual sourdough bakes such as crackers and scones.

Students take home all their breads, full recipes, a live sourdough starter, and a thorough understanding of how to store, feed and bake with it.

10am – 5pm.  £125. including lunch and refreshments.