Art and Craft at Blackthorpe Barn
Centre for showing and learning art and craft near Bury St Edmunds
Be Inspired
Blackthorpe Barn on Rougham Estate is a thriving centre for art and craft enthusiasts, providing a vibrant platform for local and regional talent. The Barn hosts inspiring exhibitions, transforming its space into a dynamic gallery to showcase a diverse range of artistic expressions.
Commitment to the arts extends beyond exhibitions, encompassing hands-on workshops taught by experienced tutors as well as the renowned Arts and Crafts Fair in November and December, attracting talented makers from around the country.
Craft Workshops
Come and discover the art of a traditional craft, perhaps for pure pleasure or to satisfy your creative aspirations. Take part in our in-person workshops in the Meadow Room at Blackthorpe Barn, where learning a new craft is a perfect stress-relieving remedy.
Led by skilled and artistic professionals, each workshop offers a delightful and relaxing learning experience in our rural Suffolk setting.
Upcoming Workshops
Art Exhibitions
The exhibitions at Blackthorpe Barn showcase a range of artistic disciplines, from contemporary pieces to traditional art forms, creating an inspirational and enriching experience for visitors.
The old thatched barn provides a unique location for both established and emerging artists, fostering a vibrant artistic community. The carefully curated exhibitions not only celebrate the beauty of art but also contribute to the cultural enrichment of the community, making Blackthorpe Barn a must-visit destination for art enthusiasts.
Arts and Crafts Fair
For over 30 years the Arts and Crafts Fair has been held at Blackthorpe Barn
- featuring textiles, ceramics, glassware, metalware, woodwork, beauty products, leather items, jewellery, basketry, food and much more
- held over 5 weekends during November and December
- showcasing some of the country’s most talented artists and craft-makers
- makers specifically chosen to ensure quality and a wide range of crafts
- each weekend features a new mix of creators and artists
Where to find us
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Plenty of free parking on site.
Please keep to the 20mph speed limit.
Disabled access available
This is a rural location and paths can be muddy.
The car parks close when 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.
The Barn is down the avenue, on the right.
The Rougham Post
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Last chance to book your place on our Wild Weave Workshop…
If you’ve been thinking about trying something new, this could be the perfect opportunity to spend a day working with natural materials and learning a new skill.
Join textile artist Caroline Hyde-Brown at Blackthorpe Barn and create your own unique piece of wild art using woven grasses and freshly grown flowers. You’ll work with a mini hand-held loom and take your finished creation home with you.
It’s suitable for complete beginners as well as those who already enjoy crafting.
When:
Saturday 26 September
10am–4pm
£70 per person
The Meadow Room, Blackthorpe Barn
Places are limited, so if you’ve been meaning to book, now’s the time!
You can find out more on the link in our bio #WildWeave #WildWeaveWorkshop
ArtWorks @artworkseast is entering its second weekend, and then there’s just one more week to visit.
If you haven’t been yet, now is the time. Over 300 original works by 28 established East Anglian artists are on show at Blackthorpe Barn, including paintings, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media and more. All of it available to buy and all of it made by artists who know their craft.
Come and browse at your own pace, meet the artists in person, watch them at work and find something that speaks to you. You can find the list of which artists are demonstrating each day on the @artworkseast website.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or simply someone who loves great art, there’s plenty here to discover and inspire you.
Open daily until Sunday 27th September
10am – 4pm
Blackthorpe Barn on Rougham Estate – SatNav IP30 9HZ
Free entry and free parking
Roots Café next door and the Rougham Estate Lifestyle Shop
Walks around the Estate (see the Rougham Estate website for details)
See you soon!
#EastAnglianArtists #SuffolkArt #BuryStEdmunds #OriginalArt #RoughamEstate
Throwback Thursday to the beginning of one of the biggest projects we’ve undertaken at Blackthorpe Barn.
Back in February, the scaffolding and hoarding started going up as we began the full rethatching of this incredible 16th-century building.
It was quite a sight to see the work get underway, with around 12 highly skilled thatchers spending around 40 days carefully renewing the roof using traditional techniques.
Blackthorpe Barn has been part of Rougham Estate for more than 500 years and remains a real icon of the Estate. Today, it continues to be at the heart of what we do, currently hosting the Artworks East exhibition and in November, transforming into one of our biggest Christmas events, with our much loved Christmas Shop and Arts & Crafts Fair.
So while the thatching may be a traditional craft, the Barn certainly has plenty of life left in it now.
Here’s a little look back at where the rethatching journey began.
#RoughamEstate #BlackthorpeBarn #Rethatching
Today is exactly 100 days until Christmas!
Although here at Rougham Estate, Christmas arrives a little sooner…
Our Christmas Shop opens on Monday 19 October, bringing plenty of festive treats, beautiful decorations and special finds to help make your home feel magical this Christmas.
And before the doors open to everyone, we’ll be hosting an exclusive afternoon shopping event on Friday 16 October for a limited number of Rougham Estate newsletter subscribers. It’s a chance to explore the Christmas Shop and buy before anyone else.
Want to be among the first to see what’s coming? Make sure you’re subscribed (on the bottom of our website pages) to hear the latest news and be in with a chance of joining us.
Christmas might be 100 days away, but the countdown at Rougham Estate has already begun!
#RoughamEstate #ChristmasAtRougham #ChristmasShop #100DaysToChristmas
The recent rain has certainly been welcomed by the cattle on the Estate!
After a long, dry summer, the grass is getting a much needed boost and is starting to green up again, giving the cattle plenty to enjoy.
It’s always good to see the Estate responding to a change in the weather and nature getting back to doing what it does best.
#RoughamEstate #EstateLife #SuffolkFarming
Still clinging on to summer? We’ve got a special for you.
Our salad of the week is a fresh green bean salad with pecans, feta, spinach, red onion, sumac and micro coriander, all finished with a honey mustard dressing.
Or perhaps you’re already feeling a little more autumnal?
Our brunch special is a little more comforting, with crispy potatoes coated in caramelised onion jam, topped with fried halloumi, a poached egg, chilli flakes and parsley.
Whichever season you’re in, we’ve got something for you at Roots Café this week.
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #WeeklySpecials
Rougham Pumpkins opens again in 3 weeks! Yes, it’s that time again. 🎃🎉
The pumpkins are already looking great and the gates will be swinging open on Saturday 3rd Oct.
Save the date to come and wander amongst 100,000s of pumpkins, squashes and gourds in over 15 varieties.
You’ll find a whole autumn festival with the big bale pyramids, sandpits, pedal tractors, football goals, space to run and play and face painting by @faceitfaceart
These fabulous food trucks will be here every weekend:
🌮🌯🥞☕️🍰🥘🍦🥂🍗
Roots&Co – coffee, cakes, snacks, drinks (soft & alcoholic)
@whatthe_peck – Suffolk-reared fried chicken
@badboiburritos – toasted burritos
@Pigs_In – all your pork favourites
@GeeGeeBakes – coffee, cheesecakes, milkshakes
@KiernansCoffee – coffees, drinks & snacks at the Pitch in the Patch
@FullThrottleCoffeeCo – coffees & snacks
On selected days:
@Tikka_Tonic – New Delhi style street food
@TheCreperieShack – sweet & savoury crepes
@itsotisbreading – sourdough toasties & salads
@greyscoffee_ – coffees & homemade bakes
Bring your own picnic if you like.
🔦 Pumpkins by Torchlight & Silent Disco
On two spooky Saturday evenings, 17th & 24th October, 6pm–9pm, bring your torches, wear your wellies and enjoy the pumpkin patch after dark with a silent disco.
Disco headsets need to be booked – tickets coming soon.
🧡 SEN-Friendly Sessions
9am-10am on Tues 27th & Thurs 29th October, entry to the patch will be ticketed to give a quieter time for those who benefit from a calmer, more relaxed visit.
Free tickets to be booked in advance – tickets coming soon.
📅 Open on the following dates in October
9am–5pm
Sat 3 – Sun 4
Sat 10 – Sun 11
Sat 17 – Sun 18
Daily Sat 24 – Sat 31 (10am-5pm on 27th & 29th)
‼️The pumpkins are in the NEW Sunflower and Pumpkin Field, south of J45, A14, Elderstub Lane, SatNav: IP30 9HX
📣 We’re looking for seasonal staff aged over 18. Apply through the advert on Indeed.
🐕 Dogs welcome in the picnic area and the small doggy patch, but not in the main patch.
All the details from our website – link in bio.
#roughamestate #burystedmunds #pickyourownpumpkin
ArtWorks @artworkseast opens to the public today, Saturday 12 September, in the beautiful thatched Blackthorpe Barn
📅 12th – 27th September
🕙 10am – 4pm daily
🎟️ Free entry and free parking
📍Rougham Estate, SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Dogs welcome on leads.
We look forward to seeing you!
#suffolkart #eastanglianartists #burystedmunds #artexhibitions
Now in its 26th year, this much-loved exhibition brings together 28 established artists from across East Anglia
for a two-week show of beautiful contemporary art in one of Suffolk’s most special settings.
Over 300 artworks are on display
from abstract paintings and botanical illustrations to ceramics, sculpture and mixed media.
There is such a wide variety of work, everyone will find something to enchant them
and everything is available to buy.
The Private View on Friday evening was well attended
and from now on, every day, there is at least one artist demonstrating their work in the Barn.
At the weekends there are two artists working here each day,
so come along and “Meet the Artist”!
The exhibition is open for just over 2 weeks, until Sunday 27th September
and it’s free to enter, with free parking too.
With Roots Café and the Rougham Estate Lifestyle shop just next door
there are plenty of reasons to come and visit this brilliant exhibition!
Tag us @RoughamEstate
