One Day Beginners Stained Glass Course Llandeilo West Wales

There is a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from making something luminous with your own hands — something that captures light, refracts it into colour, and holds it in a form that lasts. Stained glass has been doing exactly that for over a thousand years, adorning the windows of cathedrals, manor houses, and artist studios with a visual richness that no other craft medium can replicate. For most people, stained glass feels like a closed art — something that requires decades of apprenticeship or specialist training that simply is not available to ordinary beginners. That assumption is wrong. At a converted Victorian temperance hall nestled in the Towy Valley next to Aberglasney Gardens — one of Wales's finest historic gardens — acclaimed stained glass artist Simon Howard teaches complete beginners to design, cut, lead, and solder their own stained glass panel in a single extraordinary day. The One Day Beginners' Stained Glass Course is the most celebrated craft workshop in Carmarthenshire, and this is the complete guide to what it offers, what you will learn, where it takes place, who teaches it, and how to book your place.

What Is the One Day Stained Glass Course in Wales?

The One Day Beginners' Stained Glass Course is a full-day craft workshop held in Llangathen, Carmarthenshire, west Wales. It is designed specifically for complete beginners — people who have never handled a glass cutter, never bent lead came, and never touched a soldering iron — and by the end of the day every single participant leaves with a finished stained glass panel they designed and made themselves. The course covers the entire stained glass creation process from initial design through to the final soldered panel, with Simon guiding every step at a pace that ensures no one feels rushed, lost, or left behind.

The format is a single day of immersive, hands-on learning. There are no PowerPoints, no lengthy lectures, and no passive observation. Participants begin by choosing or developing their own design — a 10 to 15-piece panel approximately 30cm square or circular — and then work through each stage of the traditional stained glass process under Simon's expert tuition. By the time the day ends, the panel is complete, and Simon handles the finishing stages — cementing, cleaning, polishing, and attaching hooks — so participants can collect a gallery-quality piece from his Llandeilo studio at a date that suits them.

Who Teaches the Course: Simon Howard, Stained Glass Artist

Every course is taught personally by Simon Howard — not an assistant, not a deputy, not a different instructor depending on the date. Simon is one of Wales's most respected stained glass artists, with a professional practice spanning over 35 years that encompasses ecclesiastical commissions, corporate installations, and private residential work across the United Kingdom. His journey into stained glass began in Lancashire, where he grew up watching and learning from his father, who had worked in the glass industry since the 1960s, and his brother, now a stained glass artist based in Melbourne, Australia. The craft was in the family long before it became a career.

Simon formalised his artistic education at the Byam Shaw School of Fine Art in London — now part of Central Saint Martins — graduating with a degree in Fine Art in 1992. The Byam Shaw is one of the most selective fine art schools in the United Kingdom, and its graduates routinely go on to distinguished careers in the arts. Simon established his own stained glass studio in Lancashire in 1991, undertaking restoration work and producing new windows in traditional and contemporary styles, before relocating to the vibrant market town of Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, where his studio now operates from 8 King Street, SA19 6BA.

""Simon is endlessly patient, supremely knowledgeable, and a great teacher." — Sue G., course participant"

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Simon's work has attracted national media attention across television and print. He has appeared on Kirstie's Handmade Christmas on Channel 4, Charlotte Church's Dream Build on S4C, and Wales' Home of the Year, and his work has been featured in Country Living Magazine. He has also been catalogued by the Stained Glass in Wales project, with commissioned works including the 2002 ecclesiastical window "Landscape with a River" at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Connah's Quay, Flintshire. Since 2018, Simon has channelled this expertise into teaching, offering courses that have earned a consistent five-star reputation across multiple booking platforms.

What You Will Learn: The Complete Stained Glass Process in One Day

The course is structured to take participants through every stage of the traditional stained glass creation process — from the first pencil line of a design to a fully soldered, finished panel — within a single day. This is an ambitious programme that works because Simon has refined it over years of teaching, calibrating the pace and content to ensure it is genuinely achievable for complete beginners while remaining substantive enough to provide serious craft education.

Stage 1: Panel Design

The day begins with design. Participants are encouraged to bring their own design — a pattern they have drawn or found online — though the course includes plenty of reference material and Simon is skilled at helping participants adapt and simplify ideas to suit the medium and their available time. The panel design should contain 10 to 15 individual pieces and produce a finished work approximately 30cm square or circular. Simple geometric patterns, nature-inspired motifs, Art Deco-style designs, and personal symbols are all popular choices — and the finished panels photographed by past participants demonstrate a remarkable range of individual expression. A sacred heart within a teardrop. A bold Tudor rose. A mysterious Iron Man symbol. A classic Art Deco reimagining. A colourful mushroom. The design phase is also when participants discuss glass selection — choosing from Simon's extensive range of coloured, textured, and specialty glass to bring their vision to life.

Stage 2: Glass Cutting

Glass cutting is the foundational technical skill of stained glass work. Simon demonstrates the correct use of a glass cutter, the appropriate amount of pressure, how to score a clean line, and how to break glass reliably along that score. Participants then cut their own glass pieces to the shapes required by their design. This is the stage many beginners find most daunting — the idea of deliberately breaking glass — but Simon's instruction makes it methodical and quickly achievable. You also learn how to handle the glass safely, store cut pieces correctly, and work with the different properties of different glass types.

Stage 3: Leading Up

'Leading up' is the process of assembling the cut glass pieces within strips of H-profile lead came — the traditional grooved lead channels that hold individual pieces of glass together and form the characteristic black outlines of a stained glass panel. This is where the design comes to life as a three-dimensional object. Simon teaches participants how to handle lead came, how to cut it accurately using lead knives, how to seat glass pieces firmly within the came, and how to work from a corner outward to keep the panel true and square. The leading stage is precise, satisfying work — like assembling a metal puzzle — and the emerging panel becomes visually compelling long before the soldering stage begins.

Stage 4: Soldering

Soldering is the final technical stage taught on the day. Participants learn how to use a soldering iron to fuse the lead came joints where individual pieces of lead came meet and cross. This is what transforms the assembled panel into a permanent, structurally sound object. Simon teaches the correct solder temperature, soldering technique, how to achieve clean, neat joints, and how to flux the lead surface for proper adhesion. Soldering stained glass is a satisfying skill to acquire — the clean, bright joints of a well-soldered panel are one of its most visually distinctive features — and participants typically find it less intimidating than expected once the technique is demonstrated.

Post-Course Finishing

After the course, Simon completes the finishing stages on each participant's panel: cementing (a compound worked into the gaps between glass and lead that waterproofs the panel and adds rigidity), cleaning (removing the cement residue), polishing (bringing up the glass to full clarity), and attaching hanging hooks so the panel is ready to display. These finishing stages require curing time and specialised compounds — making them impractical to teach on the day — but Simon provides post-course instructions so participants understand exactly what is being done and why. Finished panels can be collected from Simon's workshop at 8 King Street, Llandeilo, on a date that suits the participant, or delivery can be arranged.

The Venue: Llangathen Temperance Hall, Carmarthenshire

The course is held at Llangathen Temperance Hall, Llangathen, SA32 8QH — a historic building in the Towy Valley of Carmarthenshire, west Wales. The location places the workshop in one of the most scenically beautiful parts of the Welsh countryside, and the venue itself is next to Aberglasney Gardens, one of Wales's most celebrated heritage gardens and a Grade I listed historic landscape renowned for its yew tunnel, cloistered garden, and extensive restoration.

The hall provides an ideal workshop environment: spacious, well-lit, and practically equipped with free and plentiful parking, an on-site kitchen and toilets, and full wheelchair accessibility. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch and snacks — Llandeilo town centre is approximately five minutes away and has several excellent cafes and restaurants, including options singled out in participant reviews for making a full day of the trip.

Course Details: Dates, Price, and What Is Included

The One Day Beginners' Stained Glass Course runs from April through November 2026, with multiple dates across each month on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. All courses cost £150 per person — a price that is remarkable value given the calibre of instruction and the comprehensive list of inclusions.

2026 Course Dates

What Is Included in the £150 Price

• All coloured, textured, and specialty stained glass — an extensive range to choose from for your design
• All tools: glass cutters, running pliers, lead knives, soldering irons, grozing pliers, and more
• All safety equipment: eye protection, cutting mats, work surfaces
• Tea and coffee throughout the day
• Expert one-to-one and group instruction from Simon Howard throughout the entire day
• Post-course finishing by Simon: cementing, cleaning, polishing, and hook attachment
• Post-course written instructions on the finishing process
• A finished, display-ready stained glass panel to take home

Optional Extras

• Readymade display stand for your panel: prices range from £45 to £60 depending on size and style
• Hooks fitted to the panel for hanging: free of charge
• Delivery of your finished panel if you cannot collect in person from Llandeilo: can be arranged directly with Simon

What to Bring on the Day

• Your own panel design, or a pattern found online (Simon can help adapt it)
• Lunch, snacks, and additional drinks (Llandeilo has excellent cafes nearby)
• Suitable clothing: work clothes you don't mind getting messy
• Sturdy closed-toe footwear — open-toed shoes or sandals are not permitted for safety reasons

Who Is the Course For?

The course is described as a beginners' workshop, and that is precisely what it is — the level of experience required is none whatsoever. Participants across all documented reviews had no previous stained glass experience, and every single one of them completed and took home a finished panel. The course is suitable for absolute beginners, hobbyists looking to try a new craft, couples seeking a distinctive day out, friends wanting a shared creative experience, and anyone in search of a genuinely memorable, screen-free activity in beautiful surroundings.

Geographically, the course draws participants from across Carmarthenshire and south Wales — from Carmarthen, Swansea, Cardiff, Llanelli, Ammanford, Llandovery, Brecon, and Pembrokeshire — as well as from across the wider UK. The drive from Cardiff is approximately 90 minutes; from Swansea, under an hour; from Bristol, around two hours. For many participants, combining the course with a night in Llandeilo or nearby makes an ideal short break.

What Participants Say: Verified Reviews

The course has accumulated an exceptional body of reviews across Craftcourses.com and the course's own website. The themes that recur consistently across dozens of independent reviews tell a coherent story about why this workshop is so highly regarded.

""To go from zero skills to creating a piece I am really proud of is a great feeling." — Sue W."

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""I now have an even greater appreciation of the work and hours involved to make these special pieces. Simon is a Master in his field. Would certainly recommend this course — you'll be delighted with your creation." — Jane Rickwood"

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""An absolute pleasure being in the company of an extraordinarily talented man. His patience, clear explanations of the process, and knowledge of glass skills inspired us three middle-aged women to produce an artwork which we were all buzzing over once completed." — Bernie Rainford"

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""Outstanding value for money. Simon was knowledgeable, supportive, and very generous with his time, going well beyond the finish time to allow our very adventurous first projects to be finished." — Raymond McGovern"

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""Spending a day with Simon is an absolute joy. He is an excellent teacher who is able to clearly explain what you need to do and why. So often experts in their field find it difficult to pass on their knowledge to complete beginners, but Simon did so without ever making me feel that any question was too silly." — Kate Hannon"

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Several reviewers make specific note of Simon's willingness to stay beyond the scheduled end of the day to ensure that every participant leaves with a completed panel — a level of dedication to the participant's outcome that speaks to the depth of his commitment as a teacher. Reviewers also consistently praise the relaxed atmosphere, the quality of the workshop space, and the accessibility of Llandeilo town for lunch breaks.

Gift eVouchers: The Most Distinctive Present in Wales

Gift eVouchers for the stained glass course are available from stainedglasscourse.co.uk, making this one of the most distinctive and memorable gift options available anywhere in Wales. The £150 eVoucher covers the full cost of the course for one person and can be redeemed against any available course date across the season. For a partner who loves craft, for a parent who has always been curious about stained glass, for a friend who needs something genuinely different — a day making stained glass in a historic Welsh hall with one of the country's foremost glass artists is a gift that will be talked about long after the occasion.

Multiple reviewers arrived at the course as gift recipients and their responses are among the most enthusiastic in the entire review corpus. "I bought this day as a gift for my sister. She had a great day, learnt a lot, laughed a lot, and produced something she is very proud of" — Anthony R. As a gift, the stained glass course also carries the practical advantage of providing a tangible, lasting object: the recipient takes home a handmade piece of stained glass art that they created with their own hands.

The Stained Glass Craft: Why It Endures

Stained glass is among the oldest continuously practised decorative art forms in the Western tradition. The fundamental technique — cutting coloured glass to shape and joining pieces with lead came — was codified in the medieval period and remains essentially unchanged today. It is a craft that rewards both technical precision and artistic sensibility: the glass cutter must be accurate, the leading must be measured, the soldering must be controlled — but the design decisions about colour, texture, and form are purely creative and profoundly personal.

Part of what makes stained glass such a compelling medium for a beginners' course is the immediate visual feedback. Unlike ceramics, which require kiln-firing between stages, or weaving, which requires extended periods of repetitive work before anything resembling a finished object emerges, stained glass shows you the result of your decisions continuously. The moment you place a cut piece of amber glass next to a piece of cobalt blue within the lead came framework, the image — and its quality — is visible immediately. This makes the day both exciting and instructive in ways that participants consistently describe as surprising.

There is also the matter of the light. Stained glass is not merely an opaque decorative object — it is a medium that transforms the light that passes through it, casting coloured shadows and pools of tinted illumination that change with the time of day and the angle of the sun. A panel that looks one way in Simon's studio will look subtly but significantly different hung in your own window at home, and different again at different times of day. This quality — the active, living relationship between stained glass and light — is what has made the medium compelling across a thousand years of Western art, and it is what makes a handmade stained glass panel something genuinely special to own.

Simon Howard's Broader Practice: Commissions and Ecclesiastical Work

Beyond the teaching courses, Simon Howard maintains an active commissioned practice through his studio at 8 King Street, Llandeilo, SA19 6BA. His commission work spans ecclesiastical windows for churches and religious buildings, corporate installations, and private residential work — reflecting the full range of contexts in which stained glass remains an active contemporary craft rather than merely a historical one.

His approach, as described in his professional biography, blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design — a philosophy that is visible both in his commissioned work and in his teaching. Simon does not teach stained glass as a heritage re-enactment exercise but as a living craft capable of producing work that is simultaneously rooted in centuries of tradition and entirely responsive to individual creative vision. The range of finished panels produced by course participants — from a sacred heart in a teardrop to an Iron Man symbol in leaded glass — demonstrates exactly this breadth.

How to Book Your Stained Glass Course

Courses are booked directly through stainedglasscourse.co.uk. All available 2026 dates are listed on the booking page from April through November, at £150 per person. Classes fill quickly — particularly Saturday dates and dates adjacent to school holidays — so early booking is strongly advised for preferred dates.

• Online booking: stainedglasscourse.co.uk/book-online
• Telephone: 07734 689736
• Email: [email protected]
• Gift eVouchers available at stainedglasscourse.co.uk
• Venue: Llangathen Temperance Hall, Llangathen, SA32 8QH
• Panel collection: Simon Howard Glass, 8 King Street, Llandeilo, SA19 6BA

Cancellation Policy

For cancellations notified more than 14 days before the course date, refunds are unavailable but a date change to another available date is permitted. For cancellations notified less than 14 days before the course date, refunds and date changes are unavailable, though the booking may be transferred to another person at the original booker's discretion. Gift Voucher bookings cannot be refunded. In the unlikely event of cancellation by Simon Howard, all payments will be refunded in full or carried forward to the next available date.

How to Get to Llangathen Temperance Hall

Llangathen Temperance Hall (SA32 8QH) is located in the hamlet of Llangathen, approximately five miles east of Llandeilo in the Towy Valley, Carmarthenshire. It sits directly adjacent to the entrance of Aberglasney Gardens — a useful landmark for navigation. The venue has free and plentiful on-site parking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why This Is the Best Stained Glass Course in Wales

There are a number of stained glass workshops available across the United Kingdom, but the combination of factors that Simon Howard has assembled in Carmarthenshire is genuinely exceptional. Consider what you are getting for £150: a full day of instruction from a Fine Art graduate with over 35 years of professional practice and significant national media recognition; a class limited to eight participants ensuring personalised attention; a fully equipped historic venue in one of the most beautiful parts of Wales; all materials including professional-grade art glass from an extensive range; and a finished, gallery-quality panel that is entirely your own design and entirely your own work.

The reviews — dozens of them, from entirely independent sources, across years of courses — are unanimously positive in a way that is simply not common for any kind of leisure or craft activity. The word "master" appears repeatedly. The phrase "couldn't think of how it could have been better" appears verbatim in at least one published review. The consistent reports of Simon staying beyond the scheduled finish time to ensure every participant leaves with a completed panel reflect a dedication to the outcome that goes well beyond what is commercially required.

For anyone in Wales, the south-west of England, or anywhere within a reasonable drive of Carmarthenshire, the One Day Beginners' Stained Glass Course at Llangathen is not merely a good craft workshop. It is one of the finest arts and craft experiences available anywhere in the United Kingdom — a day that produces something lasting, something beautiful, and something that will catch the light in your window for decades.