Dates: Wednesday 30th July – Sunday 3rd August 2025
Location: Stoke Farm, Battisford Tye, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 2NA
Planning for Potters Camp 2025 is well under way! There are a number of changes around the site, as the Upson’s have started to plant a new orchard between our site and the new houses, so things may change as we get nearer the date. We will have slightly less space than last year, so please think about the size of tents etc. when booking. Information about accessing the site and the location of the various camping arrangements will be sent out before camp.
Camp is an event for members only, so please renew your membership for 2025/6 before booking. We had to spend a lot of time chasing people for membership payments last year, and would rather not do that this time.
Please note that no live streaming or videoing will be allowed at this event. You may take still photos of processes and pots but do not take pictures of people who do not wish to be photographed. This follows from a number of complaints last year, and at other events.
About The Site:
The Camp site is adjacent to an orchard which will attract bees and wasps. Most of the tents will be pitched in the orchard itself. If you are allergic to bee and wasp stings, please think carefully about whether or not you should attend.
The Camp site is on a field, and so is uneven. Please talk to us if this is likely to be a problem for you.
The final message with al the camp information you will need can be downloaded from here. Please read it all!
Access to the site is via a shared road with a strict speed limit of 10mph maximum. It is used by walkers and residents, so please take care and don’t speed. If it’s dry, it can be very dusty. A Google maps view of the way to the site is here. Follow the route marked in red. There will be signs at the main road and on the farm.
Accommodation:
Camping in tents will be between the rows of trees in the apple orchard. There is also space for a limited number of caravans and campervans, which will be different from last year’s arrangement. However please note that there will be no electric or water hook–up available. The power supply to the kiln site is limited and will be required for the communal facilities. Please include details of your accommodation needs on your booking form so we can work out where to put everyone. Last year some people found Airbnb accommodation locally. Additionally, there are reasonably priced hotels in Needham Market and Stowmarket if you want a bit more comfort.
Here’s a few ideas about what to bring if you havenlt been before. Compiled by two ‘newcomers’ from camp 2023. https://www.anglianpotters.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Anglian-Potters-Camp-2024_Kit-list-V1.pdf
Toilets and Showers:
We have showers and toilets on site, plus a hired portable toilet block nearby. We have two earth toilets, and one ‘emergency’ toilet in one the shower rooms.
Food:
There will be tea and coffee making facilities in the static caravan and a communal supply of milk plus cold water. You will need to provide your own breakfast and lunch each day. There are no facilities to heat food, but hot water will be available. There will be extra freezer space for ice packs. We will provide a simple communal meal each evening for all, as we did last year.
Firings
If you want to participate in the firings you will need to bring a selection of bisque-fired pieces to camp with you. We suggest around 20-30 small to medium pieces. Smaller, upright pieces with a stable base stand much more chance of getting into a group pack. Platters, plates, wide bowls and awkward shapes will get left out of the kilns. Make sure you use stoneware or porcelain clays only. If in doubt Earthstone Original (ES5), B17C, Special Fleck and Royale porcelain (available from our clay dumps) all work well in all our kilns. There will be more details of firings and the pots you can bring nearer the time.
The aim of the firings at Camp is to provide learning experiences for everyone, so you are encouraged to engage with the firing supervisors and participate in helping and observing the various firings.
Gas Reduction – we have several gas kilns and will supply a range of glazes for you to try. Any of the stoneware clays or porcelain supplied by the AP clay dumps will be suitable.
Wood Firing – there will be a range of shinos, glazes, washes, wood and soda ash available. There will also be opportunities to help wad pots and do a shift stoking the kiln.
Experimental Wood Kiln – We plan to fire the small wood kiln we built at camp in 2023, but will try a few modifications to see if we can get to higher temperatures this time! Some help will be needed to do some building work.
Soda Firing – We have adapted Tony Pugh’s gas kiln for soda firing. There will be shinos available for coating the insides of your pieces and some coloured vitreous soda slips for outside decoration. We will need a team to wad the pots and there will be opportunities to spray in soda when the kiln gets up to temperature.
Smoke Firing – we will do smoke firing in oil drums filled with wood and sawdust on the Saturday morning. Rounded medium or large forms, which have been well burnished, yield the best results. A reduced bisque temperature helps to retain the burnished finish but is not essential. White, off-white or light-coloured clay is ideal.
Raku – We have yet to decide how to run the Raku area this year. Continuous Raku firings every day has been very disruptive in the past. We hope we will still provide opportunities to learn about and participate in Raku firing, without becoming a firing service! We provide a range of Raku glazes. Any reasonably robust clay, up to and including porcelain, is appropriate.
Workshops
There will be a number of workshops and demonstrations.
Entertainments
We will be making our own entertainments. If you play, bring an instrument! Out of consideration for our neighbours, music will need to be acoustic only. The paper kiln firing last year was a great success, and we will fir a ‘dragon’ kiln on Saturday, to provide a focus in the middle of the site. There may be some work needed before camp to start this off, so please keep your eyes open for calls for help!
Enquiries
Please look at the website first. If you can’t find the answer there then email [email protected]
