Clay Hunting

The scenic landscape here in North Cornwall is wild, rugged and untamed. Dig beneath the surface and you’ll also find that it contains rich seams of natural materials; tin, granite, sandstone, slate and clay, each one as useful as they are beautiful.
All good cooks know that a dish is only as good as the ingredients used, and the same goes for woodwork, sewing, weaving and almost any other making activity. It’s certainly true of pottery, which is what led me to visit this working clay quarry nearby.
Situated on the seaward side of a granite uprising, the quarry is home to two unique raw materials, one a high quality silica sand and the other a much revered clay deposit favoured by many world renowned potters. It was great to be able to visit this small family owned business in person. The backdrop of the wild Atlantic coast and fields full of brassicas made for a beautiful setting, where I saw clay being prepared using simple methods, with materials dug directly from the pits.
The clay available varies in shade from milky white through buff, to toasty brown and coal black. Naturally I picked up a few samples, and now begins the journey of transforming it from muddy earth into strong and functional pots.