This article is concerned with one craftsman's understanding of the word 'functional'. Using an audio interview of the potter Ray Finch, in which he voices his 'hatred' for the word 'functional', the article looks at the various discourses surrounding function, which are suggested by Finch's words. The areas discussed are:

Winchcombe Pottery and Michael Cardew.
The Mingei philosophy of the unknown craftsman.
The making of production wares and one-off pots.
The class system and the experiences of Sidney Tustin at Winchcombe.
The influence of Chesterton, Gill and the Distributist movement on Finch and Cardew.
Englishness and the pottery of Finch and Cardew.
The lifestyle of 'The Country Potter'.