About Us
The Studio
The Old Bank runs pottery classes and ceramics workshops for all levels, from people who have never touched clay to those returning to a practice they left years ago. We have twelve throwing wheels and dedicated hand-building space for up to ten people.
You can come on your own, with a friend, with family, or with people you work with. Taster sessions, beginner and intermediate wheel-throwing courses, a slab-building workshop, and studio memberships are all available.
Clay is included in every session. Firing and glazing options vary by class — full details are on each course page.
The studio is also available for group bookings. Details on the Private Hire page.
The Building
The Old Bank has stood at the corner of Henley-in-Arden's High Street since the late 16th century. It was a corner shop before it was a bank. Its entrance was repositioned in the 1920s to face the Market Cross — a 15th-century stone cross that has marked the civic centre of the town for six hundred years.
We chose it because it felt right for what we wanted to do. A building that has held that much ordinary life — drovers, depositors, shopkeepers, strangers — seems like the right place to make things with your hands.
Accessibility
The Old Bank is on the ground floor. There are no steps into the building and no steps between the studio and the gallery. The accessible toilet is on the same floor.
The studio has twelve throwing wheels available to visitors with limited mobility. Our wheels are equipped with both foot and hand controls for wheel speed adjustment and the built-in stools can be removed to accommodate wheelchairs.
If you have specific access requirements, tell us when you book. We would rather know in advance than make assumptions on the day.
Sustainability
Clay is one of the most circular materials there is — endlessly reusable, right up until the moment it's fired. We take that seriously.
Our pug mill reclaims virtually every scrap of clay from the studio — trimmings, off-cuts, failed pieces, throwing slurry — and returns it to a workable state. It compresses and conditions the clay, removes air pockets, and means nothing goes to waste.
This isn't a new idea. Potters have been reclaiming clay since clay was first worked. We're committed to doing it properly, at scale, as a core part of how the studio runs — not as a marketing claim, but as everyday practice.
Contact us
Questions about classes, private tuition, group events, or private hire? Contact us using the form below or reach us by phone, email, or WhatsApp using the contact details below the form.