Presingoll Pottery
(Formerly the Hudson Potteries)

Presingoll Pottery has been a working pottery for over 30 years, 25 of which were spent at Moorswater Industrial Estate, Liskeard. We use several clay bodies ranging from red earthenware to high fired stoneware which is quite unusual as most pottery manufacturers would concentrate on just one.

The result is a very varied range, consisting of kitchen and tableware, lamp bases and our own very distinct cut-out decorative pottery. Approximately 15 years ago we joined the Cornish Goodies group, which was primarily a retail organisation, and from this point onwards our range was only sold 'in house' as opposed to other retailers throughout the UK. At the same time we started to manufacture a range of scented candles, which we still make to this day. In 2003 the pottery was relocated to new premises between Bodmin and Lanivet and we decided to completely change direction by making the site a tourist attraction.

This was achieved in several ways:

1. by inviting the general public, particularly children, to have a go at several activities involving pottery and candles.
2. by opening a retail shop which would sell all of the products currently sold at Cornish Goodies shops as well as our own pottery and candles made on the premises.
3. by opening a café where visitors could relax with a drink, a light lunch or a cream tea.
4. by giving visitors the opportunity to see the various stages of pottery production including hand throwing.
5. by ensuring that we offered basic facilities such as toilets and adequate parking.

There are three activites on offer:

1. throw your own pot - this involves throwing a basic piece of pottery under expert tuition which can then be glazed and fired for collection at a later date.
2. decorate your own pot - this involves choosing a piece of pottery bisque from a very large range which child or indeed adult can decorate with materials supplied by us. This can then be glazed and fired for collection at a later date.
3. dip your own candle - this involves dipping a white taper candle into various coloured hot waxes in order to create a unique little gift.

The retail area consists of two separate shops, one of which sells food and confectionery products and the other selling general giftware. As well as selling pottery and candles made on the premises we also sell other products made in Cornwall by Cornish Goodies. Such as a range of cut fudge and preserves.

We have not lost sight of the fact that we are still a working pottery and we have tried to ensure that the visitor is able to see first hand the various stages of production. By far the most popular of these is of course the hand throwing and this can be seen in close up so to speak, however current health and safety regulations mean that all other stages of production have to be observed from a viewing area which is separated from the pottery by a glass screen.

It is from Presingoll Pottery that we intend to operate our on line shop. We already have a packing facility, which is currently used to send on 'have a go' pots to customers who are unable to collect. We also have the expertise in packaging fragile products, which has been gained over the many years that we have supplied retailers throughout the UK with our pottery. We also have a computerised office with a broadband connection in which we will have the ability to process on line orders.