- The Great Cornwall Guide
- Destinations
- Things to do
- Beach Guide
- Food & Drink
- Properties
- Journal
- Golden Lobster Reviews
- Destinations
By Natasha Harding
Cornwall has always been known as a creative county with the beautiful landscape inspiring writers, poets and artists since time began. Because of Kernow’s crafty heritage, we are lucky that many of the towns and villages have some wonderful art and craft shops with many also running regular workshops and events.
Here, Natasha Harding has chosen ten of the best craft shops to visit in Cornwall this year.
Leach Pottery studio, museum and education centre in St Ives, Cornwall. PR image shot in March 2022. PHOTO BY JONNY WEEKS WWW.JONNYWEEKS.CO.UK [email protected] +44(0)7709345104
This beautiful shop, museum and exhibition space in St Ives is one of the most respected potteries in the world. Countless wannabe potters have come to Leach Pottery to train and they’ve created a pretty special legacy. Nowadays, the shop, which is open all year round, sells the most beautiful ceramic items as well as running an impressive number of workshops and events throughout the year. Throwing Taster Workshops, Glaze Theory and Mud Club Studio Evenings are just some of the regular happenings.
Open from Tuesday to Friday (10am- 5pm), Amala’s studio is based on an eco park, on the North Cornish coast overlooking Porthtowan’s valley. In the shop you will find beautiful crafts made from glass including trinket dishes, sun catchers and bowls. There are various workshops held throughout the year too, including a five hour Copper Foil Workshop and a two-day Traditional Glass Painting and Lead Course. Amala advises that you call in advance if you’re planning on dropping by in case she is out as she does restorations all over the UK.
Beautiful pieces of seaglass jewellery are available to buy from Laura Talbot at Inspire Makers in Falmouth – which is home to 60 Cornish design-led makers and craftspeople. Laura collects the seaglass for her creations from the beaches and harbours in Cornwall and records each item so it can be traced back to its beach for provenance. Laura has studio space at the back of the shop and runs workshops throughout the year, where you can learn to make stacking rings, charm bangles and sea glass jewellery.
This fabulous shop can be found in Bedruthan Hotel overlooking the Atlantic in Mawgan Porth. There are so many beautiful things to buy and you could spend a fortune in minutes. You’ll find local art on sale which includes original paintings and prints. They also run craft workshops, starting at just £10 for residents and for non-residents of the hotel. Upcoming courses include Screen Painting, Paint a Plate, Hammered Flower Prints and Fabric Artwork. If you stop by, do visit the on-site bakery for coffee and a sweet treat – the cinnamon buns are particularly delicious.
Beau Nidol, is a small, but perfectly formed store located by Bude’s canal. It is run by a small family team led by Hannah McArdle. The shop sells a simply stunning range of fused and stained glass art, jewellery and souvenirs. They also run half day workshops in fused and Tiffany glass where people can spend a couple of creative hours making their own piece of glasswork.
You will find CARV, which specialises in leather goods on the Devon/Cornish border in the beautiful village of Welcombe, just moments away from the Atlantic Highway. Every item is the work of Becky Cocker who handcrafts every piece from cutting down to the very last stitch. The studio is currently open on Friday and Saturday, but if you want to visit another time, Becky is happy to accommodate requests. As well as opening to visitors for shopping and to see the making, there will be a series of events over the coming months including children’s story times, pop up cafes, more shopping and music.
Bude Makes is a crafters collective in beautiful Bude’s town centre. The shop showcases 25 different crafters who live in the area and some of the original items for sale include acrylic art on canvas, jewellery, handcrafted slate coasters and dream catchers. They also stock craft essentials in case you’re inspired to try your hand at making your own creations. Small workshops are being held in the space and include needle felting, sewing and folk art.
With over 20 years of picture framing experience, this shop, run by Jon Price is the place to visit if you need to have a piece of art that needs restoring and/or framing. The business, conveniently located on the A39 in the village of Kilkhampton are the only Guild Certified Framers in Cornwall and regularly work for renowned museums and exhibition spaces. Jon has created a number of training courses including a Novice Training Course and an Advanced Frame Design Course.
The focus of this fabulous shop in glorious Perranporth is sustainability. Their mission is to inspire holidaymakers and locals to make informed choices about the things they buy. On the shelves are a huge amount of lovely things including Cornish crafts, homemade gifts and candles. The refill shop is a great place to stock up on household and store cupboard essentials and while you’re visiting, there’s even the option of coffee and cake. They’re hoping to host events and workshops in the future too, so watch this space.
You’ll find all manner of original and thoughtfully designed crafts and gifts in Budeful, which was founded in 2018. The company promises to blend modern designs with sustainability and provide products that don’t cost the earth – with many of them being made in the county. Any visitors will love their stunning range of pottery, jewellery and colourful prints. The shop recently collaborated with the 2 Minute Foundation and a local supplier who makes bracelets from the nets and string washed up on local beaches and is stocking them in the shop.
Twitter @natashahwrites
IG @natashahardingwritesandteaches
Categories: Local shops & brands
