In 1939 Michael Cardew, studio potter and world famous ceramic stylist, moved his pottery from Winchcombe in Gloucestershire to Cornwall, the southwestern most tip of England where he preferred the quality of light. In search of better light yet, or maybe just more light, Seth Cardew, his eldest son, has moved from Wenford Bridge to relocate in the sunny hillsides of eastern Spain and has taken his pottery with him! In guide books the new location is referred to as “El Cid Country”, a rugged, yet majestic area in the heart of Spain’s ceramic district. The pottery is established in the mountain range that rises behind the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea in a small masia or hamlet called Masia Albadas. It is a very beautiful masia, and the pottery has been built in the covered area that previously housed farm animals and has a wood fired bread oven. There are eighteen inhabitants at Albadas and they mainly divide their time among pruning and harvesting almonds and olives, tending goats on stone terraces and doing the very Spanish activity of sitting in the shade chatting, attendant on the coming fiesta. The addition of a pottery has greatly enhanced the level of local conversation!

The pottery wheels, museum and library from Wenford Bridge are now at Albadas and arranged conveniently for students.  Seth offered courses at Wenford Bridge from 1983 and hundreds of ceramic enthusiasts have traveled there from all over the world to attend these courses. It is not surprising that he has taken this passion for teaching and sharing ideas about clay philosophy and his original concept of the language of shapes along with him to Spain. There, he began offering ceramic courses and instruction almost immediately. Courses run from the one week residential course to daily or hourly private tuition.  Details can be found in the “Courses” section of this website.