South Downs Clay Ltd

South Downs Clay Ltd Supplier of clay, glazes, pottery tools and equipment based in Durrington, West Sussex.

10/06/2026

Good morning everyone! 😊
We hope you're all having a wonderful day.

We're excited to let you know that we have a huge delivery arriving today, including lots of clay, casting slip, and plenty of other pottery supplies! We're also in the middle of updating the website, but don't worry – you can still place orders online as normal.

If you'd like to pop into the studio to browse supplies or collect an order, please give us a quick call before setting off. We run pottery classes most mornings and throughout the week, so this helps us make sure we can give you the time and attention you deserve.

We're usually available for visitors in the afternoons, but a quick phone call, text, or email beforehand is always appreciated. Alternatively, you can place your order online and choose collection – just let us know, and we'll confirm as soon as your items are ready.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you soon, whether it's for supplies, a class, or just a friendly visit!
Have a fantastic day and happy potting!

Hi everyone,We're back in the studio today after finishing classes and spending some time testing a few new clays that w...
04/06/2026

Hi everyone,
We're back in the studio today after finishing classes and spending some time testing a few new clays that we're considering adding to our pottery supply range.

Whenever I try a new clay, I like to make a small bird sculpture. It's a great way to test how the clay responds to pinching, sculpting, shaping, and texturing. Because the birds are small, they also allow me to see how the clay behaves during firing without using too much material.

Today I've been working with a beautiful black stoneware clay, and I'm really impressed with it so far. It's lovely and fine to work with, although a little messy! I think it would be fantastic for throwing and also for detailed sculptural work. I've added some texture to the surface to see how well it holds detail, and the results are very promising.
I've also got several other clays to test, including:

Porcelain

TKJ Throwing & Handbuilding Body

Original Red ES Clay

I'll be trying all of these out over the coming days and deciding which ones to add to our clay range from Potclays.

If there's a particular clay you'd like us to stock, please let us know. We're about to place an order, so this is the perfect time to tell us what you're looking for and we'll see if we can bring it in for you.

We've also just added three more clays to our Valentine's selection:

Two porcelains

One black clay

In addition, we're considering stocking B17C casting slip and are currently researching plaster casting materials.

If there's anything you'd like us to source, get in touch and we'll be happy to provide pricing and availability before we place our orders.

All the very best, and I'll see you soon!

26/05/2026

Hi all,

It’s been a long weekend at Potfest, and I just want to thank you all for your support. The sun has definitely taken it out of me, so the studio will be closed until Thursday to give me a little time to recharge.

Collection of clay and tools will be on Thursday from 10am–3pm.

See you soon,
Jess

14/05/2026

Some work from the kiln… the big pieces have finally arrived! Now all they need is their final glaze before they’re ready for the show. Fingers crossed we can get them fired and finished in time.

The clay I’ve used for these pieces is ES20 Clay — a fantastic hand-building clay that I use all the time. It’s brilliant for outdoor sculpture, tableware, and even my Raku sessions. Such a versatile clay to work with.

The penguin piece has been made using ES50 Clay, a lovely crank clay designed for sculpture. It has a slightly more plastic quality, which makes it great for achieving finer detail. It’s not as heavily grogged as some crank clays I’ve used before, but it gives such a beautiful finish and lovely natural colour once fired.





14/05/2026

Hi, hope you’re all very well.

Just popping in to let you know that Glynde CeramicsFair is only a week away. I’ve been working really hard this year to create some really beautiful new pieces, and I recently had a photographer capture them professionally. I’m so pleased with the outcome. There’s much more to show you, but I thought I’d share these first, as these will be the pieces I’ll have at the show.

Over the next few days, I’ll be talking more about the meanings behind the work and what I’ve been developing towards for this exhibition. The work has truly evolved over the last year into the vessel forms you see before you.

About a year ago, I had a real crisis of confidence and felt I needed to make a change to the work I was producing because I no longer felt it was good enough. So this is my newest body of work — work that has pushed me further than ever before. I’ve challenged myself to try new things, develop new techniques, and create pieces that feel more honest and more connected to the ideas I’ve been exploring.

I’m still deeply inspired by the landscape and the ever-changing patterns and textures we see around us — the bird’s-eye view of the world, the patchwork colours of farmers’ fields, and the marks left behind by machinery carving patterns into the land. I find beauty in cracked pavements with moss growing through them, in fleeting glimpses of green, in weathered surfaces, memories, textures, and traces of time.

Inspiration comes from everywhere: driving past a field, walking down a road, noticing a pattern, a colour, a texture, a feeling, or even the memory of a place. I’m inspired by both historical artefacts and contemporary emotions, abstracting these ideas and painting them onto the surfaces of my pots.

For me, these vessels are more than functional forms — they are three-dimensional canvases, designed to bring warmth, light, and presence into a home





16/04/2026

New tool just In

27/03/2026

Today has been a busy one for us with classes running and plenty of clay and tool sales! We’re especially excited to share that our largest rib has found a new home 🎉

All tools, glazes, and underglazes are available for postage. Clay, however, must be collected in person. We currently have 25 different types of clay in stock and are always happy to help you choose the right one. If you need a larger order or something specific, we can also arrange special orders for different clays.

Over Easter, the pottery will be closed for classes. We’ll reopen on Thursday for clay collection.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

18/02/2026

Hello everyone! We hope you’re keeping warm and cosy on this rather miserable day 🌧️ We’re tucked away in the studio, making the most of the time — working on new pieces while welcoming customers collecting their clay orders.

Firstly, a huge thank you. The last couple of months have been fantastic, and it’s all because of your incredible support. As a small, growing business, it truly means the world to us. We’ve loved meeting so many wonderful potters popping into the studio — whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience behind you.

For those who don’t yet know us, we’re South down Clay Ltd, based in Worthing. We supply a carefully selected range of pottery essentials, including clays, tools, equipment, glazes, and underglazes. Our aim is simple: to provide quality materials, friendly advice, and a welcoming space for the local ceramics community.

At the moment, it’s half term, so our opening hours are slightly reduced — but if you let us know when you’d like to come by, we’ll always do our best to make sure we’re here for you.

In the studio, I have been working with Crank — a beautifully textured, grogged clay that fires to a rich toasty orange at high temperatures. It’s wonderfully natural in appearance and fantastic for sculpture and outdoor work thanks to its strength and shock resistance once fired. I have also been experimenting with Fantasy Crystal used for glazes for those stunning crystalline effects, along with underglazes, which give consistently vibrant, true colours and can be mixed to create custom shades. We love sharing materials that we genuinely believe in and use ourselves.

Looking ahead, our goal is to keep growing — thoughtfully and with our community at the heart of it. We’re keen to welcome more potters through our doors, learn what materials you love working with, and make sure we’re stocking the right products to meet your needs. Your feedback helps shape what we carry, and we’re always open to suggestions.





10/02/2026

Hi everyone — hope you’re all keeping well! 🌧️ It’s been a horribly grey and rainy day here in West Sussex — the kind that looks absolutely depressing — but nevertheless, we’ve had a kiln opening today, and out of it came this little gem.

This piece is made using one of our professional stoneware and porcelain clays, the P.F. 700

On the surface, I’ve used the Moss glaze from our Stoneware Exotics range from and fired it to around 1245°C in an electric kiln.

Along the top rim, I added an underglaze mix with a shiny glaze on the inside and lightly over the underglaze to give it that beautiful high-shine finish.

The clay at the bottom has been left completely unglazed — raw, beautifully soft to the touch, and lovely on the surface.

There’s also a subtle run where the Moss glaze meets the clear glaze and underglaze, creating a gorgeous natural pattern. You’ll notice a few tiny crystals in the surface too — formed just as the glaze began to move before flowing any further — and I couldn’t be happier with the overall result.

It’s such a lovely clay to throw with, and I really enjoyed the process. This is our Clay of the Week, so I thought I’d share what we’ve been up to in the pottery, as well as with our supplies.

Do check out our website, South Downs Clay Limited, where you’ll find our full range of clays, tools, glazes, underglazes, and everything else you need for making beautiful things.

Take care, everyone — and see you soon!

Address

The Pottery, Field Place Manor House, The Boulevard
Worthing
BN131NP

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 3pm
Wednesday 10am - 3pm
Thursday 10am - 3pm
Friday 10am - 3pm

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