insideKENT Magazine Issue 25 - April 2014 | Page 28

ARTS

Aylesford Pottery
For pottery duo Alan Parris and Mark 'Billy' Byles, driving through the Kent countryside
and residing in a stunning country estate, complete with Tudor priory buildings and
extensive grounds, is all in a day's work. Producing handmade pottery in the heart of
rural Kent, Aylesford Pottery not only facilitates bespoke commissions and hosts a gallery
of handmade craft pottery, but it also offers a teaching centre for studio pottery too.
Alan with an order for kitchen ware

Traditional jugs

When it comes to their extensive portfolio of work,
eating
potters Alan and Billy pride themselves on cr
a range to suit all tastes. Every commission of
the increasingly rare art is handmade, with the
pair opting to combine traditional methods with
the occasional modern twist. What's more,
everyone and anyone is invited to watch them at
work in their Kent-based showroom.
The Aylesford Pottery Story
Upon entering the Aylesford Priory grounds, you
will first pass a number of restored 17th-century
barn houses, before coming to the oldest building
in the comp