John Leach Stoneware

Description

John Leach Stoneware was developed by John Leach’s Muchelney pottery for their traditional high-temperature wood-firing process.
Our John Leach Stoneware clay contains grog and gives a warm buff colour when fired.
This versatile clay can be used for both throwing and hand-building projects.
Muchelney’s style is about making robust forms with fire licked decoration and this Stoneware is perfect to achieve this.

About the Leach Family

Bernard Leach
Bernard is widely considered to be the most important and influential British potter of the 20th century.
He set up his pottery with Japanese Potter, Shoji Hamada in St Ives in Cornwall in 1920.
Leach Pottery is among the most respected and influential potteries in the world and is considered to be the birthplace of British studio pottery.
Bernard played a crucial role in creating an identity for artist potters across the world and is one of the greatest figures of 20th century art. 

John Leach
John is the grandson of Bernard Leach and son of Potter, David Leach.
After training with his grandfather and father, John set up Muchelney pottery in 1965 in Somerset.
Here John continued the leach tradition of creating high-quality handmade ceramics.

John passed away in 2021 but the Pottery still continues to produce a range of ceramics that are all hand thrown on site.
All products are fired in the three chambered kiln to 1320°c which creates their distinctive toasted finish.

The Leach Pottery reopened in 2008 on their original site and is now a museum that offers a guided tour.
You can visit the throwing room with kick wheels and a Japanese climbing kiln and browse their exhibition space.  

Technical Information
Contraction at 1280C – 11.5%
Thermal Expansion – 0.275%