This outdoor workshop invites participants to work with molten pewter and elemental materials drawn from herbal and mineral traditions. Set within the historic grounds of Godstow Abbey, the session focuses on casting pewter directly into salt and selected herbs to form a small, organically shaped amulet.
Rather than using moulds or fixed outcomes, the process embraces chance, material response, and careful attention to place. Salt and herbs act as temporary moulds, imprinting their textures and traces into the cooling metal. Each casting reflects the moment of pouring, the site itself, and the individual hand involved.
The materials used carry established symbolic associations:
Salt for cleansing and repelling negative energy
Pepper for strength and courage
Cloves for attracting good fortune and prosperity
Thyme for love and emotional resilience
These materials are introduced as points of reflection rather than prescriptions, allowing participants to work intuitively and attentively.
Godstow Abbey provides a resonant setting for this practice. Historically, the abbey was the final resting place of Rosamund Clifford, mistress of King Henry II. Archival records also note the abbey’s connection to salt as a resource, including a reference to a salt pit in Wiche. The workshop draws quietly on these layered histories of material, land, and human presence without seeking to re-enact or dramatise them.
Once cooled, participants may choose to drill their piece and thread it with cord to create a simple necklace or talisman to take away. No previous experience is required. The session is suitable for anyone interested in material-led making, symbolism, and working carefully with place.
Details
Date: Sunday 15 February
Time: 10:00 to 12:00
Location: Godstow Abbey
What’s provided: Pewter, guidance on pouring, drill, cord, and all necessary tools
This is a slow, grounded workshop centred on presence, observation, and material transformation. Participants will leave with a small object shaped through direct engagement with landscape, substance, and intention.
This outdoor workshop invites participants to work with molten pewter and elemental materials drawn from herbal and mineral traditions. Set within the historic grounds of Godstow Abbey, the session focuses on casting pewter directly into salt and selected herbs to form a small, organically shaped amulet.
Rather than using moulds or fixed outcomes, the process embraces chance, material response, and careful attention to place. Salt and herbs act as temporary moulds, imprinting their textures and traces into the cooling metal. Each casting reflects the moment of pouring, the site itself, and the individual hand involved.
The materials used carry established symbolic associations:
Salt for cleansing and repelling negative energy
Pepper for strength and courage
Cloves for attracting good fortune and prosperity
Thyme for love and emotional resilience
These materials are introduced as points of reflection rather than prescriptions, allowing participants to work intuitively and attentively.
Godstow Abbey provides a resonant setting for this practice. Historically, the abbey was the final resting place of Rosamund Clifford, mistress of King Henry II. Archival records also note the abbey’s connection to salt as a resource, including a reference to a salt pit in Wiche. The workshop draws quietly on these layered histories of material, land, and human presence without seeking to re-enact or dramatise them.
Once cooled, participants may choose to drill their piece and thread it with cord to create a simple necklace or talisman to take away. No previous experience is required. The session is suitable for anyone interested in material-led making, symbolism, and working carefully with place.
Details
Date: Sunday 15 February
Time: 10:00 to 12:00
Location: Godstow Abbey
What’s provided: Pewter, guidance on pouring, drill, cord, and all necessary tools
This is a slow, grounded workshop centred on presence, observation, and material transformation. Participants will leave with a small object shaped through direct engagement with landscape, substance, and intention.
