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Monday 18 December 2017

Happy Christmas!


Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and New year, best wishes from the St Cuthberts Mill team! x 

Christmas Holidays

Please note that St Cuthberts Mill will be closing for the festive period on 
Thursday 21st Dec at 4.45pm. 

We will re-open for business on Tuesday 2nd January at 8.45am! 

Have a wonderful holiday all!




Friday 24 November 2017

TH Saunders – Paper Manufacture, Sample Book 1855





We are delighted to announce that our historical TH Saunders Sample Book dating back from 1855, will be heading to a museum for future preservation and conservation. The book in question contains a huge variety of intricate watermarks and paper samples. Over time these have become somewhat delicate, making it even more important to save this remarkable piece of papermaking history.



Mark Cropper, CEO of the papermakers, James Cropper PLC at Burnside Mill in Cumbria, is heading this project. The Cropper Foundation is a charitable body that will preserve historical artefacts stemming from the papermaking world. Alongside the TH Saunders book, we will be donating a variety of deckles and moulds for handmade paper, and a selection of woollen felts. Our neighbours at Wookey Hole Caves and Mill will also be donating items .

The following images were taken from inside this incredible book of historic paper samples and watermarks by TH Saunders.













Monday 13 November 2017





Rugby season is upon us! We are pleased to announce that St Cuthberts Mill will be sponsoring two players at Wells Rugby Football Club (RFC). We will be sponsoring Alex Payne and Brad Hibbert.

“Wells Rugby Football Club was founded at a Dinner held at The Star Hotel on 12 October 1876. The first match was against Yeovil on 9 November and the Wells team captained by E M Hippesley was won with six unconverted tries to nil. Having said that, there is some evidence to show that a club was going some four years before 1876 as records show that a certain H Freeman from Wells and Marlborough was capped by England three times between 1872 and 1874 and also a Mr F B G D'Aguiliar who played for Wells occasionally played for England in 1872. Since those early days the club have moved grounds on many occasions from such diverse places such as, Gallows Close, Knapp Hill, East Horrington, the Bath & West Show Ground, Sheldons and since 1983, the present ground in Charter Way. 

The club is hoping to develop and expand, especially the playing areas, also the clubhouse needs to expand and update the changing facilities. However this all needs money, which the club has to earn one way or the other. The current committee are working hard to improve the facilities, bearing in mind of course that the main object of the club is to promote the great game of rugby in and around Wells for years to come.Wells RFC



Alex Payne (centre)
Alex Payne is an Engineer and Electrician at St Cuthberts Mill. He has been playing Rugby for 17 years, and has played for Wells RFC for 14 years. His position is ‘Forward’, and he can play between numbers 4 and 8.


Brad Hibbert (centre)
Brad Hibbert previously worked at St Cuthberts Mill as an Electrician. Brad says, “I got into rugby after many years of the 'Payne' brothers telling me how good it was and I should get into it, I’m currently into my 3rd season of playing, I enjoy everything about it from spending 80 minutes battling your opposite man to the social side afterwards.”




#StCMill are proud to sponsor Alex Payne and Brad Hibbert for this rugby season 
with @wellsrfc #Rugby #Wells #Sponsorship



Monday 30 October 2017


GIVEAWAY TIME FOLKS!

We are giving away x5 Saunders Waterford blocks!
All you have to do to enter is email: giveaway@stcuthbertsmill.com stating ‘Giveaway’ in the header. Please make sure to include your full name and address.

Please feel free to share this post and include #StCMill in the text!

The 5 lucky winners of this competition will each receive one of the following: Saunders Waterford High White CP(NOT) block (20 sheets), 300gsm(140lb), 310mm x 230mm (12’’X9’’). (RRP £27.48)

Deadline to enter: Monday, 6th November 2017, at 11.00am. The winners will be contacted via email after this date.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You are providing your information to St Cuthberts Mill Ltd only.




Friday 13 October 2017

Somerset Art Weeks Tours of St Cuthberts Mill


Cathy, Nicki, Kate and Kim

Somerset Art Weeks 2017 has now come to an end. This year’s festival celebrated St Cuthberts Mill opening its doors for the first time, to run exclusive tours of our historic paper mill. We also supported the Somerset Guild of Craftsmen’s event ‘Paper Prospects’. This saw artist Jonathan Blackmore run a popular free lino cut workshop, using Somerset paper from St Cuthberts Mill.



The guided tours of St Cuthberts paper mill provided a real insight into the world of papermaking for our visitors. Many had never seen how paper is made, especially using a mould machine that dates back to 1906. A vast number of visitors were surprised to see how much goes into the process, and how ‘hands on’ everything is.




Our members of staff met some truly wonderful people, and were happy to ensure that our tours were interesting and informative. We’ve had some fantastic feedback from the local community, and beyond.



Our tour guides Cathy, Kim, Kate and Nicola have all now returned to their day jobs as the tours have come to an end. We’d like to say a big ‘Thank you’ to everyone who came to the mill.



Thursday 21 September 2017

Somerset Art Weeks Festival 2017- 'Prospect'


23 September- 8 October

Somerset Art Weeks is the unique celebration of Visual Arts in Somerset.
This year St Cuthberts Mill is involved in many ways for Somerset Art Weeks. Not only are we giving pre-booked tours of the mill, but we are also providing paper for the Somerset Guild of Craftsmen’s ‘Paper Prospects’ event.

“As part of the Guild’s focus during Somerset Art Weeks on “Paper Prospects”, Guild Member and linocut printmaker Jonathan Blackmore will be offering a free ‘have-a-go’ sessions on October 7-8 at the Guild Shop (venue #29). In partnership with St. Cuthberts Mill - makers of quality paper - this is the perfect way to SUPPORT LOCAL this Autumn: print a Somerset scene, on Somerset Paper with a Somerset Artist! When you buy handmade, you support local craftsmen and women, and acquire something truly beautiful. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm.





Thursday 7 September 2017


Interview with artist
Annie Williams


St Cuthberts Mill Award Winner
Annie Williams

“The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition / St Cuthberts Mill prize for an outstanding work on paper, worth £250, has been awarded to Annie Williams for her watercolour, Still Life with a Small Spanish Bowl. Abstraction meets representation in this dynamic work, which is occupied by beautiful prussian blue, cerulean and ultramarine tones. Speaking of the subject matter, the artist said “most of my chosen objects are pots – I have a sister and friends who are potters, so have acquired quite a number over the years. I love their shapes and colours.” Congratulations Annie!

 The Sunday Times shortlisted works will be shown at Mall Galleries, London from 19 – 24 September 2017 before touring to a number of venues across the UK.


Annie Williams, Still Life with a Small Spanish Bowl.

Annie Williams, RWS/RE/RBA, was born in London and grew up in Wales. She originally worked as a Nurse at the Great Ormond St Hospital before studying art at the City & Guilds Art School. Annie now lives and works in London, and is an elected member of the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS), Royal Society of Painter/Printmakers (RE), and the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA). She regularly exhibits with the Bankside Gallery.

Annie is mostly a still life artist who creates compositions by incorporating a variety of shapes, patterns, textiles and newspaper cuttings into her work. These mixed media compositions often have a distinct element of abstraction.



Patchwork III



Your work is made up of a variety of mixed media. What do you feel these different elements bring to your work?

My work is primarily watercolour plus a little added gouache for some highlights, or structural changes. On a separate board I often pin up a collage of various media including abstract patterns I had previously painted. The still life is arranged in front of this. This gives me the chance to play with shapes and colours. Sometimes the background is entirely imaginary.


Listening to music

What is the best part of creating art?

Like anyone who is happy at work, one can get totally submerged in the process and forget all the other problems that life throws at one. It kept me sane last year as I coped with six months of chemotherapy for Lymphoma. 

What is your creative process like?

It can be difficult to get started, but once involved it can be hard to stop. At the moment I paint on average 4 hours a day, excluding time spent on framing and other connected things. I’m lucky that I belong to 3 art societies and there are always exhibitions to work towards. I am always trying to think of new ideas or subject matter.


A river runs through it

What is the best art advice you’ve ever been given?

The best advice - thats a difficult one, the advice I would give to others is go to exhibitions, look at other peoples work, think about why you do or don't like it, learn from them. Send into open exhibitions, you never know you might be successful and get shown . Wonderful for building up confidence.


How has your artistic style changed over the years?

I think my work has become a little more abstract, more colourful, my subject matter has changed considerably.


How do you feel about winning The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition / St Cuthberts Mill Prize?

I feel quite chuffed! I only decided to enter on the last day of submission. I also look forward to trying out some new paper. The choice of paper is incredibly important to me in getting a result I am happy with.



Friday 25 August 2017


Prospects of Printing with Jonathan Blackmore Artist! 

7th and 8th October 2017





'Have-a-go' at printing on St Cuthberts Mill's paper with Jonathan Blackmore - a Somerset scene, on Somerset paper, with a Somerset artist! Venue 29: Somerset Guild of Craftsmen, 23a Broad St, Wells, BA5 2DJ. 10am-3pm. FREE. Email: gallery@somersetguild.co.uk

http://somersetartworks.org.uk/artweeks17/

Tuesday 15 August 2017


Somerset Art Weeks Festival 2017- 'Prospect'


23 September- 8 October
Somerset Art Weeks is the unique celebration of Visual Arts in Somerset.
Alternating between Open Studios and Festival years, Somerset Art Weeks is now firmly established as one of the biggest showcases celebrating the visual arts in the South West. With over 350 artists in 120 venues for 16 days of this autumn’s Festival, many venues have embraced the theme ‘Prospect’ in their shows and events.

St Cuthberts Mill

For the first time St Cuthberts Mill is opening its doors for guided tours during Somerset Arts Week! St Cuthberts Mill is an 18th century paper mill, which is now an internationally renowned business.


Visitors will be given a unique insight into the world of creating artists papers. At St Cuthberts we produce a wide variety of high quality papers, including Bockingford, Saunders Waterford, Millford and Somerset papers. Each individual tour will provide an enhanced view of this process.
The tours will be a strictly pre-booked event. 
**Please note that the mill is a historical building with uneven ground, steep steps, and slippery surfaces. 

Wednesday 19 July 2017

Patchings Art Festival 2017


Work in progress by Ann Blockley on Saunders Waterford paper


The St Cuthberts Mill crew have just experienced a weekend full of creativity at Patchings Art Festival. All our art demonstrators were fantastic, and the crowds had a brilliant time. We had our ‘Try and Test’ area again this year which was a huge success, and was manned by Dominic Cooper and Kate Taylor from St Cuthberts.

StC's Catherine Frood with artist Carne Griffiths


An artist new to Patchings was Carne Griffiths. Carne performed several demonstrations for us over the weekend. Well done to Carne for keeping the audience entertained when the electrics blew, firstly because of his kettle (he paints with hot tea, ink, and alcohol), and secondly because a camper van plugged in, and tripped the electrics out. Even with these slight interruptions, every demo went exceptionally well. A massive thank you to demo artists David Bellamy, Ann Blockley, Soraya French and Carne Griffiths. And huge thanks to everyone at Patchings Art Centre for yet another fabulous festival!

Jenny Keal with husband/artist David Bellamy


Wonderfully vibrant work by artist Soraya French


See you for the Patchings Art Festival's '25th Anniversary' next year!


Thursday 6 July 2017

Patchings Art Festival 2017


THURSDAY 13 TO SUNDAY 16 JULY

10am to 5pm each day – 

gates open from 9am

Were looking forward to Patchings Art Festival next week! Thanks to Daler-Rowney for the goodies for our Try & Test area. Make sure you come along to splash some paint around on our papers!






Wednesday 5 July 2017

TH Saunders
(19 September 1813 – 5 February 1870)

Thomas Harry Saunders was a British paper-maker known especially for his watermarks, he was also a philanthropist.


Watermark at St Cuthberts Mill (2017)


He was the youngest child of hoop-maker John Saunders. He began a career in paper-making in his twenties, and became a partner in a paper mill in 1840.

TH Saunders won many international exhibitions for his light and shade watermarks. He created a business of six paper mills, one of them being Phoenix Mill at Dartford in Kent.


Watermark at St Cuthberts Mill (2017)

TH Saunders was a member of the Royal Society of Arts.


TH Saunders is still a registered trademark for drawing and watercolour paper, now produced as Saunders Waterford paper at St Cuthberts Mill.



Monday 26 June 2017

Terry Harrison




It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of artist Terry Harrison. We have collaborated with Terry for many, many years, and have always had a close relationship with this wonderful, kind and caring man. Our thoughts are with Fiona, family and friends.
We will miss him greatly.

Tuesday 20 June 2017


Nathaniel Hornsby: A Portrait In Watercolour 2017 


The Sunday Times Watercolour Exhibitor Nathaniel Hornsby gives an insight into his creative process on location at St Cuthberts Mill in Haybridge, Somerset. 

For more information, please visit www.sundaytimeswatercolour.org #STWC17 @WatercolourComp


Wednesday 7 June 2017

Banbury Art Festival 2017



Banbury Art Festival
11th June 2017,
10am – 4pm at Spiceball Park, Banbury

An art festival celebrating all that is wonderful about local arts and crafts, where not only can the public see the artists at work, they can buy locally produced handmade pieces of art. St Cuthberts Mill will be attending with an exciting 'Try & Test' area! And artists Paul Weaver and Barry Whitehouse will be demonstrating using our papers!

Demonstrations
11am Paul Weaver (using Bockingford Rough paper)
12pm Barry Whitehouse (using Bockingford CP(NOT) with acrylics)
1pm Paul Weaver (using Bockingford Rough paper)
2pm Barry Whitehouse (using Saunders Waterford CP(NOT) paper with inks and dyes)

Watch the potter pot, the painter paint and the weaver weave!