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Christmas Willow Weaving Workshops : Stars
Key details
When:
Date:
Time:
16th Nov
09:30 - 12:30
16th Nov
13:30 - 16:30
Where:
The Meadow Room, behind Blackthorpe Barn
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Pricing:
Ticket
per person £48
Each person attending requires a ticket
Bookings close on 14th November
Christmas Willow Stars Workshop
This Christmas come and join Stuart Fidler and Emma Booth – the Coddiwomplers – for a fun, relaxed willow weaving workshop.
Stuart and Emma are two experienced basketmakers who enjoy teaching and they are looking forward to guiding you into making wonderful stars that can be displayed inside or out.
What Will I do?
- Learn some basic skills and techniques of willow weaving
- make a selection of willow stars for your home
Who is this workshop suitable for?
- People aged 16 and over
- Beginners; no experience necessary
- Some manual dexterity and strength is required for weaving the willow
Important information
Gallery
01/05
02/05
03/05
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05/05
How it Works
01
Come to Blackthorpe Barn and park in one of the free car parks
02
Make your way to the Meadow Room, behind Roots Café
03
Enjoy making your Christmas stars and go home feeling proud at what you have achieved
04
Browse around the Christmas shop or the Arts and Crafts Fair, or have a coffee at Roots Café
What to bring
- Wear comfortable clothing
- Secateurs, if you have some
What is provided
- All materials
- Tea, coffee and biscuits
Refund & cancellation policy
If you need to cancel a workshop
If you are unable to attend your booked workshop and notify us at least 7 full days in advance of the workshop date, we can offer a refund or a transfer to the same workshop on an alternative date, providing there are places available or a course is planned for the future.
If cancellation is within 7 full days of your workshop unfortunately we are unable to offer a refund. We do appreciate that sometimes unforeseen circumstances may mean that you can’t attend so we are happy for you to send along a friend to take your place. We will need their name and contact details prior to the workshop.
Our right to cancel a workshop
All our workshops have a minimum attendance level and may be cancelled if too few bookings are received. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone workshops at any time. Should we need to cancel a workshop, we will give you as much notice as possible of the cancellation. You will receive a full refund or, if you prefer, a transfer to an alternative available course, space permitting. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any liability for travel or other costs.
Where to find us
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
There is plenty of free parking available.
Accessible parking is available near the entrance to the Café/Shop area.
Please Note: The car park closes when the Roots Café closes and the entrance gates are locked after this time.
Blackthorpe Barn is situated just south of Junction 45 of the A14, three miles east of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Rougham.
Look out for the entrance gates to a long tree-lined avenue at the White House junction, with the Barn on the right of the avenue.
Blackthorpe Barn’s black and white signs direct visitors from local roads.
The Meadow Room can be found behind the old thatched Barn and behind Roots Café.
What3Words for the Meadow Room: hands.dunk.drums
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A new season of Arts and Crafts is coming to life on Rougham Estate, with inspiring workshops and exhibitions at Blackthorpe Barn, culminating in the renowned Arts&Crafts Fair.

🎨On Saturday 13th September there’s a new, relaxing, Botanical Casting workshop being held in the Meadow Room with Becky Rix-Meo of @hopecottagebotanicalarts , where you can learn how to create your own beautiful lasting impressions of plants and flowers. Booking open now - limited spaces.
🎨On the same day, in the big thatched Barn, is the opening of the fabulous, annual two-week Artworks exhibition. This year is the 25th anniversary of @artworkseast and it promises to be an excellent show, with new artworks for sale and regular demonstrations from artists each day. Free entry, free parking.
Why not book the Botanical Casting workshop and visit the Artworks exhibition at the same time!
🎨From 9th-15th October another wonderful exhibition is taking place, this time in the smaller Meadow Room just behind Roots Café. Artists @CyndiSpeer and @Carol.Pask will be showing and selling their gorgeous artworks, ceramics and textiles. Free entry, free parking.
🎨Then on Saturday 1st November, another new workshop is available where you can learn the fascinating art of Wild Weaving taught by the talented Caroline Hyde-Brown @artistcaz . You’ll leave this full day workshop with your own wild art piece and a new way of seeing the nature around you. Booking open now - limited spaces.
🎨From mid-November the magical Christmas workshops are taking place and are open for booking now: Make Your Own Fairy, Willow Weaving and Wreath-making.
🎨The Christmas Arts&Crafts Fair starts on the 15th November for 5 consecutive weekends in the atmospheric thatched barn. Tickets for the Fair are usually made available during September.
There’s so much here to delight everyone who has an interest in the Arts and Crafts; all the details can be found on our website.
We can’t wait to see you here!
#roughamestate #blackthorpebarn #artsandcrafts #craftworkshops #makeityourself #learnsomethingnew #christmasworkshops #burystedmunds #suffolkarts #suffolkartsandcrafts #suffolkcraftsociety
A new season of Arts and Crafts is coming to life on Rougham Estate, with inspiring workshops and exhibitions at Blackthorpe Barn, culminating in the renowned Arts&Crafts Fair.

🎨On Saturday 13th September there’s a new, relaxing, Botanical Casting workshop being held in the Meadow Room with Becky Rix-Meo of @hopecottagebotanicalarts , where you can learn how to create your own beautiful lasting impressions of plants and flowers. Booking open now - limited spaces.
🎨On the same day, in the big thatched Barn, is the opening of the fabulous, annual two-week Artworks exhibition. This year is the 25th anniversary of @artworkseast and it promises to be an excellent show, with new artworks for sale and regular demonstrations from artists each day. Free entry, free parking.
Why not book the Botanical Casting workshop and visit the Artworks exhibition at the same time!
🎨From 9th-15th October another wonderful exhibition is taking place, this time in the smaller Meadow Room just behind Roots Café. Artists @CyndiSpeer and @Carol.Pask will be showing and selling their gorgeous artworks, ceramics and textiles. Free entry, free parking.
🎨Then on Saturday 1st November, another new workshop is available where you can learn the fascinating art of Wild Weaving taught by the talented Caroline Hyde-Brown @artistcaz . You’ll leave this full day workshop with your own wild art piece and a new way of seeing the nature around you. Booking open now - limited spaces.
🎨From mid-November the magical Christmas workshops are taking place and are open for booking now: Make Your Own Fairy, Willow Weaving and Wreath-making.
🎨The Christmas Arts&Crafts Fair starts on the 15th November for 5 consecutive weekends in the atmospheric thatched barn. Tickets for the Fair are usually made available during September.
There’s so much here to delight everyone who has an interest in the Arts and Crafts; all the details can be found on our website.
We can’t wait to see you here!
#roughamestate #blackthorpebarn #artsandcrafts #craftworkshops #makeityourself #learnsomethingnew #christmasworkshops #burystedmunds #suffolkarts #suffolkartsandcrafts #suffolkcraftsociety
It’s a bank holiday weekend and the sunflower field is in full swing!
With free entrance, face painting by @faceitfaceart and coffees, cakes, strawberries and ice cream available from Roots&Co, as well as wandering through the walkways and picking from the ever-growing number of blooming sunflowers, this is the perfect place to visit over the long weekend. Bring a picnic, let the children play in the sandpits and on the pedal tractors or bring a football for more energetic types and climb the big bale pyramids.
Just 2 minutes away, on the other side of the A14, at Blackthorpe Barn the Plant Stall is in the courtyard until Monday. Come and see the beautiful plants for sale, with Chris from @watsons_plants giving great advice for all your gardening questions. There’s also the Garden Room Shop and Roots Café there and walks of different lengths through the gorgeous Suffolk countryside. Everything is open all weekend.

Rougham Estate makes a perfect bank holiday destination. Just off junction 45 of the A14, the access to both the sunflower field and Blackthorpe Barn from the A14 is not affected by the road closures.
See you soon! 😃👋🌻🌱

#roughamestate #roughamsunflowers #augustbankholiday #burystedmunds #suffolkcountryside #thingstodoinsuffolk #suffolk #eastanglia
It’s a bank holiday weekend and the sunflower field is in full swing!
With free entrance, face painting by @faceitfaceart and coffees, cakes, strawberries and ice cream available from Roots&Co, as well as wandering through the walkways and picking from the ever-growing number of blooming sunflowers, this is the perfect place to visit over the long weekend. Bring a picnic, let the children play in the sandpits and on the pedal tractors or bring a football for more energetic types and climb the big bale pyramids.
Just 2 minutes away, on the other side of the A14, at Blackthorpe Barn the Plant Stall is in the courtyard until Monday. Come and see the beautiful plants for sale, with Chris from @watsons_plants giving great advice for all your gardening questions. There’s also the Garden Room Shop and Roots Café there and walks of different lengths through the gorgeous Suffolk countryside. Everything is open all weekend.

Rougham Estate makes a perfect bank holiday destination. Just off junction 45 of the A14, the access to both the sunflower field and Blackthorpe Barn from the A14 is not affected by the road closures.
See you soon! 😃👋🌻🌱

#roughamestate #roughamsunflowers #augustbankholiday #burystedmunds #suffolkcountryside #thingstodoinsuffolk #suffolk #eastanglia
Well that’s a wrap…
Harvest is complete! Well done to the team who have worked hard day and night to ensure that the crops have been brought into storage safely and in the dry.
In total we’ve harvested a whopping 818 hectares which equates to approximately the same area as 10,225 football pitches!
The hard work doesn’t stop here, preparations have already begun for next year’s harvest with cultivations taking place ready for sowing in late September /early October.
One crop that we have already planted for next year’s harvest is our Oilseed Rape and before we know it the landscape will be glowing yellow again. First we need some rain for the small seed to grow
#HarvestSeason #FarmingLife #RoughamEstate #BuryStEdmunds #teamwork
Well that’s a wrap…
Harvest is complete! Well done to the team who have worked hard day and night to ensure that the crops have been brought into storage safely and in the dry.
In total we’ve harvested a whopping 818 hectares which equates to approximately the same area as 10,225 football pitches!
The hard work doesn’t stop here, preparations have already begun for next year’s harvest with cultivations taking place ready for sowing in late September /early October.
One crop that we have already planted for next year’s harvest is our Oilseed Rape and before we know it the landscape will be glowing yellow again. First we need some rain for the small seed to grow
#HarvestSeason #FarmingLife #RoughamEstate #BuryStEdmunds #teamwork
More and more sunflowers are opening🌻
The sunflower field is open all weekend, including on Bank Holiday Monday, from 9-5 and on into next week.
🌻Come along and enjoy the fabulous Suffolk outdoors, with space to run and play and plenty of photo opportunities.
🌻Roots&Co is serving delicious coffees and snacks, cakes, strawberries and ice creams every day.
📆Next Friday, 29th August, there’ll be a Supper at Sundown evening when the field will stay open until 9pm. Food will be bbq with burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, pulled jackfruit and veggie burgers. It’s first come first served; no booking or tickets needed, just come along and pay for what you want or bring a picnic if you’d like. We’ll also be joined by @geegeebakes and her mouth-watering cheesecakes and crumbles, so get the date in your diary and fingers crossed for good weather.🤞
🌻Sunflowers are sold by the stem, well-behaved dogs are welcome (not in the main maze), free parking and free entrance.
🌻We’re looking forward to seeing you😃👋
All the most up-to-date details on our website.
#roughamestate #roughamsunflowers #suffolksunflowers #sunflowerfield #sunflowerlove #burytstedmundsandbeyond #burystedmunds #suffolkcountryside
More and more sunflowers are opening🌻
The sunflower field is open all weekend, including on Bank Holiday Monday, from 9-5 and on into next week.
🌻Come along and enjoy the fabulous Suffolk outdoors, with space to run and play and plenty of photo opportunities.
🌻Roots&Co is serving delicious coffees and snacks, cakes, strawberries and ice creams every day.
📆Next Friday, 29th August, there’ll be a Supper at Sundown evening when the field will stay open until 9pm. Food will be bbq with burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, pulled jackfruit and veggie burgers. It’s first come first served; no booking or tickets needed, just come along and pay for what you want or bring a picnic if you’d like. We’ll also be joined by @geegeebakes and her mouth-watering cheesecakes and crumbles, so get the date in your diary and fingers crossed for good weather.🤞
🌻Sunflowers are sold by the stem, well-behaved dogs are welcome (not in the main maze), free parking and free entrance.
🌻We’re looking forward to seeing you😃👋
All the most up-to-date details on our website.
#roughamestate #roughamsunflowers #suffolksunflowers #sunflowerfield #sunflowerlove #burytstedmundsandbeyond #burystedmunds #suffolkcountryside
Don’t miss out… watson_plants are back from tomorrow until bank holiday Monday.
You’ll be able to find beautiful selection of plants in the courtyard from Friday 22nd August until Monday 25th, 10am til 4pm.
Not only can you browse a selection of quality plants, you’ll be able to pick up expert advice to help your garden thrive.
#RoughamEstate #SuffolkEvents #BuryStEdmunds #popupgarden #plantlovers #plantloverscommunity
Don’t miss out… watson_plants are back from tomorrow until bank holiday Monday.
You’ll be able to find beautiful selection of plants in the courtyard from Friday 22nd August until Monday 25th, 10am til 4pm.
Not only can you browse a selection of quality plants, you’ll be able to pick up expert advice to help your garden thrive.
#RoughamEstate #SuffolkEvents #BuryStEdmunds #popupgarden #plantlovers #plantloverscommunity
After our last successful Butchery evening, we`re hosting another but with a slight difference...
It`ll be Butchery, BBQ & Beer with Thurston Butchers at Roots Café.
On Friday 19th September 2025, 6pm–9.30pm, Roots Café is hosting a special evening with Alastair from Thurston Butchers.
Guests will enjoy a live butchery demonstration exploring pork belly, pork shoulder and beef chuck, with the chance to have a go themselves if they wish. Along the way there’ll be small bites to enjoy, followed by a generous BBQ-style main plate created using the very cuts demonstrated.
A complimentary Humber Doucy beer is included (served after the hands-on section), and the evening ends with time to relax, chat and ask questions. Everyone will also head home with a goody bag of meats to enjoy later.
Tickets are £65 per person, available now via the Rougham Estate website. Spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended.
roughamestate.com/welcome
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #ThurstonButchers #ButcheryDemo #FoodieEvents #SuffolkFood #BBQNight #FoodLovers #SuffolkEvents #LocalFoodie #BuryStEdmunds #FoodExperience #MeatLovers
After our last successful Butchery evening, we`re hosting another but with a slight difference...
It`ll be Butchery, BBQ & Beer with Thurston Butchers at Roots Café.
On Friday 19th September 2025, 6pm–9.30pm, Roots Café is hosting a special evening with Alastair from Thurston Butchers.
Guests will enjoy a live butchery demonstration exploring pork belly, pork shoulder and beef chuck, with the chance to have a go themselves if they wish. Along the way there’ll be small bites to enjoy, followed by a generous BBQ-style main plate created using the very cuts demonstrated.
A complimentary Humber Doucy beer is included (served after the hands-on section), and the evening ends with time to relax, chat and ask questions. Everyone will also head home with a goody bag of meats to enjoy later.
Tickets are £65 per person, available now via the Rougham Estate website. Spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended.
roughamestate.com/welcome
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #ThurstonButchers #ButcheryDemo #FoodieEvents #SuffolkFood #BBQNight #FoodLovers #SuffolkEvents #LocalFoodie #BuryStEdmunds #FoodExperience #MeatLovers
We have another exciting week on our specials board in Roots Cafe, with some flavours from all over the world.
For a taste of Africa, enjoy our warming brunch special - Shakshuka (for tomato lovers) on Sourdough Toast, topped with a perfectly baked egg and flavourful Chermoula.
Or for a taste of Italy, indulge in our Italian Sausage Sandwich, featuring pesto, sun-dried tomato, mozzarella, and fresh rocket.
There’s plenty on the menu for all the family and dogs are welcome too.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafé #BrunchSpecial #SandwichSpecial #BritishCafé #FoodLovers
We have another exciting week on our specials board in Roots Cafe, with some flavours from all over the world.
For a taste of Africa, enjoy our warming brunch special - Shakshuka (for tomato lovers) on Sourdough Toast, topped with a perfectly baked egg and flavourful Chermoula.
Or for a taste of Italy, indulge in our Italian Sausage Sandwich, featuring pesto, sun-dried tomato, mozzarella, and fresh rocket.
There’s plenty on the menu for all the family and dogs are welcome too.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafé #BrunchSpecial #SandwichSpecial #BritishCafé #FoodLovers
Having had tough growing conditions this year, we feel fortunate to be open as many sunflower fields have closed early or not opened at all.
The downside is that flowering has been very slow and our opening date kept being pushed back. We left the opening date as late as possible to be able to get a couple of weeks in for families to enjoy the outdoor space before schools go back.
However, the late blooming means that many flowers are still in bud. They are getting ready to bloom and every day more are popping open, but it’s a little more fun trying to find the ones that are open. There will be plenty more colour to come over the next weeks.
Please remember entrance and parking are free, so is exploring the sunflowers. You are welcome to come and enjoy the great outdoors and let the children play and run off some steam, and bring a picnic if you like. You only pay for any picked stems you want to take home or anything you buy at the café.
We are open every day 9-5.
Do come back again in a week or so, to see how the flowers are doing.🌻
See you soon!
#roughamestate #roughamsunflowers #suffolkcountryside #burystedmunds #thingstodowithkids #suffolklife #suffolksunflowers
Having had tough growing conditions this year, we feel fortunate to be open as many sunflower fields have closed early or not opened at all.
The downside is that flowering has been very slow and our opening date kept being pushed back. We left the opening date as late as possible to be able to get a couple of weeks in for families to enjoy the outdoor space before schools go back.
However, the late blooming means that many flowers are still in bud. They are getting ready to bloom and every day more are popping open, but it’s a little more fun trying to find the ones that are open. There will be plenty more colour to come over the next weeks.
Please remember entrance and parking are free, so is exploring the sunflowers. You are welcome to come and enjoy the great outdoors and let the children play and run off some steam, and bring a picnic if you like. You only pay for any picked stems you want to take home or anything you buy at the café.
We are open every day 9-5.
Do come back again in a week or so, to see how the flowers are doing.🌻
See you soon!
#roughamestate #roughamsunflowers #suffolkcountryside #burystedmunds #thingstodowithkids #suffolklife #suffolksunflowers
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