London Clay - ever tried?

**GT3000** · 13-02-2010 07:31 PM

Has anyone ever used it, I'm keen to know how it handles.

**toppotter** · 14-02-2010 05:42 PM

What is and who sells London Clay? I think I am right in saying that most clay for the potter/handbuilder /sculptor is produced in Stoke.

**Daesul** · 15-02-2010 09:13 AM

Is it the clay that London actually stands on? Have you dug some up?

I've dug up clay out for the ground in Hampshire, cleaned and used that. It was OK - an earthenware red until fired, when it turned black.

**AnnieAnna** · 15-02-2010 09:22 AM

Isn't it the stuff they made/make London bricks out of and isn't it yellow?
AnnieAnna

**AnnieAnna** · 15-02-2010 09:28 AM

Just googled and on houses the bricks are yellow, geologically the mud looks grey or red and on Folksy the little London clay birds are red and black.
None the wiser but I've found out you can make bricks and ornaments from it.
What did you fancy making GT?

**Potter Jo** · 21-09-2010 01:18 PM

Hello, just joined this forum today and am browsing through some of these older posts. I don't know if this is still relevant but I have used London Clay. The gas board had dug a very deep hole outside my house and there was lots of clay a couple of feet down so I pinched a bucket load.

It did take time to reclaim, remove stones, tarmac and organic matter, but it was very nice to throw with, if a little stiff. I fired it to earthenware temperatures - it melted at the higher stoneware heat. The effect was that of terracotta - a nice toasty red colour.

It was a wonderful feeling to be working with something I'd reclaimed myself from the urban environment. Next time the road is dug up nearby, I plan to grab some more!

**AnnieAnna** · 21-09-2010 01:50 PM

You've just reminded me - the first house we bought had a builder's site type garden. While digging graves for our plants we realised it was solid Essex clay. Gardening was soon forgot and I had all the kids in the neighbourhood round ours making pottery cups and saucers and 'sculptures'. It was brilliant. It was pure clay. Unfortunately I didn't have the bravado to ask my local school to fire anything (slightly daft as my husband worked in the Art Department!). I wouldn't be so shy now

.

AnnieAnna
PS
For anyone gardening on clay all I'm saying is Albertine roses and St John's Wort. The only things I got to grow, and boy, they grew like the clappers!