for a diary of building the new Pottery workshop scroll down;

The official Grand Opening 30th March 2002...Closed 25th March 2005....
THE BUILDING IS CURRENTLY LET TO ASGARD CRAFTS.
Heres some of the story of the building in pictures. working backwards.

20th March 2002; laid paving slabs outside door.

13th March, got shop sign up;

logo went up;

6th February 2002; Nearly finished the display area.

24th January 2002; Built another worktop.

18th January 2002; Built stage one of the display area .

17th January 2002; Liz, Nath & Pete all been helpers with Painting etc. got shelves up. working on display area woodwork.

13th January 2002; Been working hard at it since new year, insulating plasterboarding, painting, etc. Pete & I practised dangerous acrobatics with plaster board & high ladders.

30th December; putting polystyrene insulating in. very thick snow outside.

laid down paving slabs (ouch) , shifting the tonne of clay by myself wasn't half a swift. also wrestled with gravel . dodgy roans & lots of rain.

5th November; Tonne of new clay arrived in the dark, thanks to Gus Murray & his family for a swift unload.

3rd November; finished the worktops , with muscle provided by the 'Peoples republic of Thornwoods forced work squad';

1st November ; Building worktops ;

30th October; environmentally friendly rainwater collection system full of water, as was everything else, see footpath below,

26th October; plumbing went in, environmentally friendly rainwater collection system nearly finished. It started to rain just in time to fill up the tank.

the lighting also got put in;

also the Dreamcatcher workshop in the Smithy

19th October; more ditch digging, got some teenage slave labour this time (thanks Jo !).

a lovely sunny day for more wood preservative painting (help from daughter Ishie & Auntie Liz). The Joiner put up the stand for the water tank.

18th October; Spent all day digging for the elusive drain in the pouring Rain !. eventually found it by a combination of dowsing & logic, it was not where expected ! The Smithy is on the site of an old river bed, interesting digging through the layers of gravel & pebbles .

17th October; The Phone finally arrived. 01520 722 722. more painting in & out. threw first pots in new shop. dug huge hole in fruitless search for water pipe (Nath helped).

16th October; plumber put the roans up, electrician connected up sockets & temporary lights.

15th October; First proper day 'OPEN' .starting to paint the floor.Paint the outside, until a it started Raining. Put the signs up.

11th October; started clay work again after all these months.

(embarrassing) Picture on Front page on Ross shire Journal.. " Mum of three sees red over Railtrack"

10th October; The expected BT phone line doesn't arrive. Get photo taken for piece in tomorrow's Ross-Shire Journal about our eviction from the Gatehouse & Railtracks application to demolish this historic building.

9th October 2001; Kiln & pottery wheels get moved from storage at Tornapress, Kishorn. Muscle provided by Lochcarron Garage.

Loading onto the lorry.....

arriving at the Smithy.....

I can't bare to watch as the Kiln goes in ! . . . . and Daniel enjoying the heavy work....

8th October 2001; spend first full day at the new workshop, unpack stock, get first customers.

The New Workshop is built as of Tuesday 25th September.

Click for photos of the grand shed building day

20th Sept; expect shed to get erected next week !!

5th sept; Working on Pottery Signs;

4th Sept; moving gravel & landscaping car park..

29th August ; The Shed makers have started work on the workshop. The new line of the fence is finished.

28th August; Part of the deer fence is moved to make more room for the footpath to the picnic area, and for the construction of the shed.

23rd August; An application for a demolition order on the old House & workshop is in the local paper.

23rd August; Shed is ordered.......awaiting delivery, soon.....

30th July 2001; Concrete base laid.

20th July 2001; Foundation for new workshop dug, and car park extended

.

7th July 2001; The workshop at Balnacra level crossing closed when we moved house, leaving 'The Gates' for Railtrack to demolish.

The Move went fairly smoothly although there was an incident were a mattress went flying & landed in the middle of the road, as illustrated by Iseabail.(8yrs)

1st June 2001; Planning Permission granted.

21st May

2001 ; Building warrant granted.

29th March 2001; At a meeting of the directors of the Smithy , It was agreed that a new Pottery workshop could be sited at the Smithy ,

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