Seven Limes Pottery, Manchester’s oldest pottery teaching studio, is marking its 25th anniversary with a move to a new, larger location in Ardwick, close to Mayfield Park.
Founded in 1999 by experienced ceramicist Wendy Andrew, the studio began as a passion project in a tiny garage in West Didsbury.
Now, hundreds of students, all keen to discover the joys of working with clay, pass through the doors of Manchester’s original pottery studio each year, which has been located in Moss Side for the last 18 years.
The move to a new home in an Ardwick railway arch comes after years of growing demand for the studio’s courses, which range from a two-and-a-half hour session for total novices to full weekend intensives aimed at more experienced enthusiasts.
Such is the popularity of ceramics classes at Seven Limes, sessions are usually booked up months in advance, precipitating the need for more space. The new premises features a much larger kiln and many additional workspaces.
When founder Wendy Andrew (pictured), who trained at the famed Hornsey College of Arts under renowned ceramicists Emmanuel Cooper and Mo Jupp, first launched the studio in the late nineties, she did not anticipate the business would still be thriving a quarter of a century later. Originally named after a striking cluster of nearby trees, the studio initially housed one solitary potter’s wheel and a mini-kiln.
Seven Limes had outgrown its outbuilding origins by 2006, with a move to Windrush Millennium Centre in Moss Side. There it remained, teaching pottery throwing and handbuilding techniques to beginners and more experienced ceramicists alike, until its planned relocation to Ardwick later this month.
The move marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Wendy’s son Sam (pictured), who took over the reins of the family business in 2022. Sam, who grew up throwing pots under his mother’s guidance, spent many years studying and working overseas as a neuropsychologist before deciding that ceramics was in his blood.
“It’s an incredible privilege to carry on my mum’s legacy,” he said. “When she first set up Seven Limes, no one could have imagined that she was founding a two-generational family business!
“The move is a big deal as we’ve been based in Moss Side for almost two decades. But when the right new premises came up, in what is one of Manchester’s most vibrant and creative districts, I knew I had to go for it.
“The new studio will help us to continue to grow in the right way, staying true to our commitments to sustainability and community. More space means we can teach more people, which can only be a good thing, as Manchester’s love affair with ceramics is showing no sign of cooling.”
To celebrate the 25th anniversary and the new location, Seven Limes’ will host its winter open studio sale, Friday, December 6 (5.30-8pm) – Saturday, December 7 (11am-5pm).
The sale will feature samples, seconds and old stock at a reduced price alongside recently made pieces, with prices ranging from £10 to £250. Among the highlights will be hand-thrown plates, bowls, vases, and ornamental pieces.
Everything is handmade in Manchester, with works by students, teachers and studio members. Look out for pieces from studio owner Sam, whose classic Japanese nerikomi work, which involves stacking and slicing contrasting colours of clay, is strong on the use of recycled materials and sustainable methods, and has regular buyers in London and New York.
You might even snap up a second from a batch of bespoke tableware that the Pottery was commissioned to make for Stockport’s Green Michelin-starred Where The Light Gets In restaurant.
There will also be the opportunity to find out about classes and courses at the Pottery, from beginners to advanced.
