Larkswold reviews

Paul Turner reviewed: March Hare Ceramic Sculpture

"Lovely, lovely course, amazing setting, ample tea/coffee and cake. We are really thrilled with our creations, good instruction, plenty of equipment available. Our only negative would be, we felt a bit rushed, so could have done with another half hour to get the basic body shape just so, then all the attachments, heads, legs etc. would have fitted on in a less panic stricken way."

Ruth reviewed: Glass Fusing at Larkswold

"It was a really lovely few hours learning a new craft and working with glass in a lovely atmosphere. Thank you "

Victoria Loula reviewed: Silversmithing-rings/bangles at Larkswold

"Fabulous silver making workshop in the heart of the beautiful Cotswolds. An amazing location with warm welcoming hosts, set by a bubbling stream with waddling ducks, twinkling fairy lights, endless pots of hot tea & an abundance of delicious homemade cakes - it’s just perfect! The workshop teacher was very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. We learnt a great deal and handcrafted several beautiful rings that will be treasured for years to come. Can’t wait to go back again soon! Thank you! V&A "

Larkswold responded:

"Thankyou so much Victoria for the glowing review and look forward to seeing you soon. All the best, Melinda & Emma"

Ruth reviewed: Weave a willow foraging basket

"This was in every way a wonderful way to spend a day, starting with the warmth of the welcome from Melinda the moment I stepped into the beautiful studio workshop space. Claire Shilvock was a superb tutor, striking exactly the right balance between encouragement and expert tuition - the hours melted away as our 3D creations emerged from stacks of beautiful but straight basketry willow, step by step. She gently nudged us forward to ensure that everyone finished something to take home (they were all wonderful and individual pieces). Melinda was there throughout looking after us by providing gorgeous home made cakes and every imaginable beverage (caffeinated, decaffeinated, herbal etc) and serving the most delicious sit down lunch. I felt Melinda and Clare have a lovely knack of creating an atmosphere in which everyone felt included and supported whether they had come in a group or, as I had, came alone. I love my willow basket - I have proudly sent pictures to friends and one remarked "that does NOT look like the work of a beginner" - a testament to Clare's skill because I really am! Thank you Clare and Melinda."

Jackie Blay reviewed: Silversmithing-rings/bangles at Larkswold

"Went to this course last Saturday with my daughter in law. We had the best morning such a warm welcome with coffee and cakes… The course was great very enjoyable and great value. Would highly recommend and will def do again."

Larkswold responded:

"Thanks Jackie! "

Sue reviewed: Willow sculpture at Larkswold

"Great course, really enjoyed it. Fabulous food provided all day in a great environment. Definitely recommend "

Larkswold responded:

"Thank you so much Sue! Hope to see you at Larkswold again soon."

Emma reviewed: Silversmithing-Rings/Bangles at Larkswold (2pm-5pm)

"Really fantastic course. Well explained and a lot of options for creating your own unique piece of work. I’ll definitely do it again. Fabulous cake, too. A really enjoyable experience, thank you, emmaero"

Larkswold responded:

"Hi Emma, so pleased you enjoyed your time with us. Hopefully see you again soon. Melinda "

Ian reviewed: Carve a spoon from a freshly felled log

"The course taught by Ben was excellent, learnt many things that will improve my carving. The venue is idyllic, Melinda and Emma are very friendly and welcoming and certainly look after you, there seemed to be an endless supply of tea or coffee with cake and the lunch was superb."

Jill reviewed: Willow sculpture at Larkswold

"What a lovely place to go to for a course. Looked after throughout the day with drinks, cakes and a delicious lunch. Kate helped us to make amazing willow sculptures. My heron looks majestic in the garden. Can’t believe I made that in a day. Thanks to all involved for a wonderful day."

Larkswold responded:

"Thank you so much Jill - we’re happy to hear you enjoyed the day! Hope to see you again. Emma"

Shelley & Tim reviewed: Candlemaking at Larkswold (2pm-5pm)

"My boyfriend surprised me with a candle making course the day before my 40th birthday and we both thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The setting is beautiful; the creative hub is in the garden over looked a lovely meadow with ducks running around. We were treated to selection of cakes and drinks to start with. The instructions were clear and the atmosphere very friendly and relaxed, which was perfect. We then worked at our own pace to make four candles each, and finished the day off with a glass of bubbles and more cake! Thank you for a lovely afternoon, and we are already planning our next workshop! Very best wishes, Shelley and Tim"

Larkswold responded:

"Thanks Shelley, Lovely to meet you both. Hope to see you again soon. Melinda x"

Wendy Smith reviewed: Introduction to Brush Lettering (10am-1pm)

"From the moment I walked through the door it was a welcoming experience. Well presented by Georgie with quality resources. The tea and cake was amazing and in the most beautiful setting. I can't wait to book my next workshop! Thank you, including the supportive emails the day before."

Larkswold responded:

"Hi Wendy, it was great to meet you and hear about your work and dreams for the future. All the best? Melinda x"

Anne reviewed: Silversmithing-Rings/Bangles at Larkswold (2pm-5pm)

"This is the first jewellery course I have done & I was apprehensive about doing one & took some time to pick this course with Caroline at Craven & White, I was delighted with the course & it exceed my expectations as Caroline is extremely knowledgeable & very patient, she made the whole day a delight. All the equipment was explained & we all had enough time to experiment & practise with the jewellery technics & practise on copper before we made our actual final pieces in Silver. I came away with with 2 lovely pieces of jewellery that I am very proud of thank you so much Caroline & I will be back to book another course very soon x"

Larkswold responded:

"Thanks Anne, It was lovely to meet you and we hope you will be back soon. All the best, Melinda"

Nicky reviewed: Silversmithing-Rings/Bangles at Larkswold (2pm-5pm)

"I’ve done a silver smithing course with Caroline from Craven&White and cannot express how wonderful this was. Caroline is a lovely, enthusiastic teacher who is very supportive and ensured I made exactly what I wanted. I needed quite a bit of help and she was always on hand and patient and constructive. So, so happy with my finished piece, didn’t ever think I would be able to make anything so professional looking. Thank you Caroline!"

Larkswold responded:

"Hi Nicky, Thanks for the lovely review. Glad you enjoyed. All the best, Melinda"

Trevor reviewed: Full Day Silversmithing 9.30-3.30

"I am sorry to say I left the class with no completed pieces and I wasn’t the only one. The morning was very leisurely, lunch a highlight, but then only an hour and a half to complete a project. With all 10 of us being beginners and needing the help of the tutor it was impossible for all of us to get the help we needed. I tried to work independently but this was scuppered by having to wait for equipment . Some items were in very short supply. Having made a poor effort with my piece it was actually broken by Caroline when she tried to finish it off and she took it away to fix it. Far from floating out with a couple of completed items I left stressed, with a headache and nothing to show for the day. 1:10 is an impossible ratio for beginners . Too much time was spent practicing techniques with little time left to make your own piece."

Larkswold responded:

"Hi Lynne, Firstly, we are really sorry you didn't enjoy your special day. It matters to us that each and every guest has a little me time and comes away rejuvenated. We have taken all of your feedback and shall be reviewing the numbers we currently have per class. 10 has worked for us in the past, but we will try 6-8 going forward. We have updated our listing to make it clear that silversmithing is loud. You're right, those hampers are great for aggression, but a little overwhelming all at once. In terms of what you left with, I have spoken with Caroline, our tutor; she has the ring she is finishing for you and will give you a call as soon as it is ready. I am afraid I had not realised that anyone had left without something lovely they had made. I am sending an email to the group to check that everyone has got something and any other feedback that can help us to make this the best silver workshop it can be. Thanks for the kind words about the lunch and we hope you had a delicious vegan roast with your family Sunday evening. Once again, apologies this didn't meet your expectations, but rest assured we are taking action to get your silver pieces to you and to improve our workshop session in general."

Chris Roberts reviewed: Arm knitting at Larkswold

"Beautiful setting. Amazing cake! Very relaxed and laidback. Tutors very knowledgeable. They were very nice and friendly. I thoroughly recommend Larkswold and look forward to visiting again."

Larkswold responded:

"Thanks Chris, Really lovely to meet you and hear all about the wonderful garden you are creating. Melinda x"

Karen Smith reviewed: Willow sculpture at Larkswold

"Had a fantastic day at Larkswold. I thoroughly enjoyed the willow making course and delighted with the results. I will definitely be booking another course for later in the year. Belinda was the perfect host, there was tea, coffee and cakes on offer for the whole day. Lunch was excellent. She couldn't do enough for us. Thoroughly recommend this venue."

Larkswold responded:

"Hi Karen, so pleased you enjoyed your time at Larkswold ( particularly pleased you thought I looked like the woman out of Dollar ?. Look forward to seeing you again soon. All the best, Melinda & Emma"

Marion Janner reviewed: Willow sculpture at Larkswold

"What a fantastic day! Off-the-scale hospitality and consideration, incredible to have been able to create such a magnificent willow sculpture of a heron to grace my garden (thanks to all the finessing from the lovely Kate). Fabulous lunch and cake. Magical location. Truly a perfect occasion."

Larkswold responded:

"Hi Marion, High praise indeed. It was really lovely to meet you and hope you will be back to visit us soon. Melinda & Emma"

LINDA COX reviewed: Beginners Calligraphy at Larkswold (2.30-5.30)

"Larkswold, in the beautiful Cotswolds, is in a very nicely appointed marquee with ample parking. We were welcomed and well looked after throughout the afternoon, with plenty of refreshments and delicious home-made cakes. There were 4 of us learning calligraphy at one large table and about the same number at a different table learning a different craft. Our instructor, Martie was superb, demonstrating each step before we then went and practiced on our own and with her guidance checking we were doing it right. We were provided with everything we needed, and had opportunity to purchase anything further before we left. With a glass of bubbly at the end and no one in a hurry to leave, it made it a very enjoyable afternoon. Thank you, I can't think of a nicer way to learn a new skill, with very amicable people, lovely surroundings, and first-rate tuition. Definitely recommend it."

Larkswold responded:

"Thankyou Linda, We appreciate your kind feedback and hope to see you again soon. Kindest regards Melinda"

Mary Mustoe reviewed: Willow sculpture at Larkswold

"We had an absolutely brilliant day doing willow sculpture at Larkswold, Kate was an excellent teacher, We were looked after from start to finish, coffee and cake, scrummy lunch, more coffee/drinks cake in the afternoon. I will definitely be back to do another course. 10 out of 10 from me."

Larkswold responded:

"Thanks Mary, glad you enjoyed your visit. Look forward to seeing you back here soon ? Melinda"

Sue Oakey reviewed: Silversmithing-Rings/Bangles at Larkswold (2pm-5pm)

"A very enjoyable afternoon. Melinda and Emma were so welcoming, the venue was delightful, Caroline from Craven&White did a great job guiding us through the stages of silver ring and bangle making, and tea, coffee, cake and bubbly further enhanced the hugely enjoyable experience. With a gorgeous silver bangle and matching ring to take home, I will definitely be back for more!"

Larkswold responded:

"Thanks Sue, It was lovely to meet you. Hope the roasted vegetables, wine and Coldplay you went home to ?"

Jan Hill-Tout reviewed: Lino Printing at Larkswold (2.30pm-5.30pm)

"I had a wonderful time doing lino cut printing with Melinda and Emma at Larkswold. They were so welcoming and supportive and I enjoyed every minute. Thank you"

Larkswold responded:

"Thankyou Jan, Really glad you enjoyed the session. We also appreciated you graciously putting up with our social media frivolities! Melinda ?"

Simon & Linda reviewed: Candlemaking at Larkswold (2pm-5pm)

"My wife and I spent a wonderful afternoon at Larkswold learning how to make scented candles. Melinda and Emma, our hosts, could not have been more welcoming and Melinda, on discovering that the course was a 16th wedding anniversary present (the traditional gift being wax), presented us with a multi-layered candle to remind us of the day. The course, besides being great fun, was extremely informative and we learnt a lot about the art of making scented candles ... some of which now have pride of place in our home. Our less successful efforts will be burnt in the not too distant future!! Would we visit Larkswold again ... most certainly. They offer a number of other courses that interest us ... Glass Decorations, Lino Printing, Truffle Making, Silversmithing, Willow Sculpture, Wreath Making and Arm Knitting to name but a few. Here's to our next visit."

Larkswold responded:

"Thank you so much. It was lovely to meet you both. Looking forward to seeing you again soon. Melinda & Emma"