Handmade Mugs – London, Stokey & Highbury in Unique Colourways and Glazes

Celebrating London, Highbury and Stokey

Just behind our shop in Stoke Newington is the studio of the wonderfully talented Lesley McShea. Her handmade ceramic mugs are little love letters to our part of London – tactile, timeless, and made just for us in Know & Love’s house colourways.

Each mug is stamped with your neighbourhood of choice – London, Stokey (that’s Stoke Newington to the uninitiated), or Highbury – and thrown by hand just off Church Street, N16 London.

Look underneath and you’ll even find our postcode – N16 – pressed into the clay.

Made in small batches with ever-changing glazes – from buttery yellows to speckled reds and mossy greens – each mug is entirely unique. And that’s exactly what we love about them.

A firm favourite in our shop, these are mugs made for cupping in your hands on a slow morning – a daily celebration of our city, our neighbourhood, and the joy of handmade things.They are the perfect gift for someone who loves their home or visiting the area. 

A Mug That Says Where You’re From (Or Where Your Heart Is)

Lesley’s mugs come in a joyful and ever-changing mix of colourways:

• Sunshine yellow with soft gloss

• Speckled red-on-yellow with playful pops of glaze

• Pistachio greens and mossy speckles over creamy stoneware

• Warm earthy reds with deep glaze and rich texture

They’re handmade in small batches, so no two are exactly alike – and that’s what makes them magic.

The lower half is left unglazed, allowing the clay to show through and giving each mug that satisfying contrast of smooth and raw.

Built for Real Life

• Made with grogged stoneware – strong, tactile, full of character

• Stamped by hand with your neighbourhood of choice

• Exclusive to Know & Love – featuring our colours and our postcode

• Glazed for everyday durability and gentle, joyful beauty

• Fits perfectly in your hands for coffee, tea, or something stronger.

Approximate Size: 8.5 cm high x 9 cm diameter

Handmade means slight variations – and we think that’s the best part.

Meet the Maker – Lesley McShea

A potter of over 25 years, Lesley works just around the corner in her Stoke Newington studio. Her work blends influences from ancient artefacts, classical architecture, and garden ornaments – and yet it’s designed for modern life.

She works primarily in stoneware with a rough, volcanic finish and distressed surfaces to let her vibrant glazes shine. Each piece is full of depth, personality, and the quiet power of something made by hand.

Why We Know & Love Her

At Know & Love, we’ve long admired Lesley – not just as a ceramicist, but as a neighbour, a collaborator, and a creative force. These mugs are special to us because they feel like home. They’re full of warmth and made with care, just metres from our shelves.

Stocking Lesley’s work means keeping things local, keeping things thoughtful, and offering our customers a proper piece of Stoke Newington.

Take Home a Piece of the Neighbourhood

Each mug is £28.00 and comes in limited, ever-changing batches. Pick your place (London, Stokey, or Highbury), choose your colour (or let us surprise you), and make your morning coffee a little more meaningful.