The Potteries, where Wedgwood and a hundred other makers turned clay into the tableware of the world, with a monkey forest and Alton Towers nearby.
Stoke-on-Trent is the home of British pottery. For three hundred years, the six towns that make up the city, Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton, made the plates, cups and ornaments used in homes around the world. The area is still known as the Potteries.
In the nineteenth century, the skyline was filled with thousands of bottle shaped kilns, belching smoke. Only a few survive today, but the city’s potteries still make famous brands, and its museums tell the story of an industry that changed how the world ate and drank. This guide covers six things to see and do.
1. World of Wedgwood
World of Wedgwood, at Barlaston on the southern edge of the city, is the home of one of the most famous pottery companies in the world. Josiah Wedgwood founded his business in 1759, and his inventions and ideas transformed the industry. His famous blue and white jasperware is recognised everywhere.
The site has a working factory, where you can take a tour and see skilled craftspeople making and decorating pottery by hand. It is fascinating to watch. You can even try throwing a pot on a wheel or decorating your own piece.
The V&A Wedgwood Collection, a museum on the site, holds thousands of pieces and documents telling the story of the company and the Wedgwood family. Josiah Wedgwood was also a campaigner against slavery, and the museum tells that story too. Charles Darwin was his grandson.
There is a tea room, where you can have afternoon tea on Wedgwood china, and a shop. Allow at least half a day. It is best reached by car.
2. Gladstone Pottery Museum
Gladstone Pottery Museum, in Longton, is the last complete Victorian pottery factory in the country. It has a cobbled yard surrounded by workshops, with tall bottle kilns rising above. It shows exactly how pottery was made in the days of coal fired kilns.
You can go inside the bottle kilns and see how the pottery was stacked in special containers to be fired. The workshops show each stage of the process, from shaping the clay to decorating the finished pieces. Craftspeople demonstrate the old skills.
The museum tells the story of the people who worked in the potteries, often in hard and dangerous conditions. It also has a gallery about the history of the toilet, which is surprisingly entertaining. Children love it.
Gladstone Pottery Museum has been used as a filming location for television programmes about pottery. It is a fascinating place for all ages. Allow a couple of hours.
3. Emma Bridgewater and Middleport Pottery
Emma Bridgewater’s factory, in Hanley, makes the famous spongeware pottery decorated with spots, hearts and cheerful patterns. It is one of the best loved modern pottery brands in Britain. Factory tours take you behind the scenes to see how it is made.
At the factory you can paint your own pottery in the decorating studio, and your piece will be fired and posted to you. It is a fun activity for families and friends. There is also a café and a shop with seconds at lower prices.
Middleport Pottery, in Burslem, is a working Victorian pottery that still makes Burleigh ware using traditional methods. It has been beautifully restored, and you can take a tour of the workshops and see the bottle kiln. It was the first home of a popular television pottery competition.
The canal runs alongside Middleport Pottery, and you can walk along the towpath. The site has a café and a shop. It is a lovely example of how the city’s heritage has been brought back to life.
4. The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery
The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, in Hanley, has the finest collection of Staffordshire ceramics in the world. It shows the history of pottery in the area, from ancient times to the present. The collection is huge and varied.
The museum also holds part of the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever found, shared with Birmingham. The pieces are displayed so you can see the extraordinary skill of the goldsmiths. It is one of the most important discoveries in British archaeology.
The museum has a Spitfire, the famous fighter plane of the Second World War. Its designer, R.J. Mitchell, was born near Stoke-on-Trent. The aircraft is a popular exhibit.
The museum also has collections of natural history, local history and art. Entry is free. It is a good place to start exploring the city.
5. Trentham Estate and Monkey Forest
Trentham Estate, on the southern edge of the city, is a large estate with beautiful gardens, a lake landscaped by Capability Brown and woodland walks. The gardens have been restored and include modern planting by leading designers. It is one of the most popular attractions in Staffordshire.
Next to the gardens, Trentham Monkey Forest is home to around a hundred and forty Barbary macaques, which roam freely through the woods. Visitors walk along a path through the forest, and the monkeys are often just a few feet away. It is a unique experience.
The estate also has a shopping village with independent shops and cafés, a treetop adventure course and a garden centre. You can take a boat trip across the lake. There is plenty to keep the whole family busy.
The gardens and the Monkey Forest have separate tickets. Allow at least half a day. It is best reached by car.
6. Alton Towers and the countryside
Alton Towers, about half an hour east of Stoke-on-Trent, is the largest theme park in Britain. It has some of the most famous rollercoasters in the country, as well as rides for younger children and a water park. The ruins of a Gothic mansion stand in the grounds.
The park is very busy in the school holidays, so booking tickets in advance is essential. It also has hotels on site. A whole day is easily filled.
Biddulph Grange Garden, north of the city, is a Victorian garden looked after by the National Trust, with themed areas representing different parts of the world, including China and Egypt. Little Moreton Hall, a short drive north, is a crooked Tudor timber framed manor house that looks as if it might topple over. Both are lovely visits.
The Peak District and the Staffordshire Moorlands are just to the east of the city. Staffordshire oatcakes, a kind of savoury pancake filled with cheese, bacon or sausage, are the local breakfast. A car makes it easy to explore the area.
Getting there and getting around
Stoke-on-Trent station has direct trains to London Euston in around an hour and a half, and to Manchester, Birmingham and Crewe. The M6 and A500 pass through the area.
Manchester Airport is about forty minutes by road, and Birmingham Airport about an hour. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Stoke-on-Trent and the airports, and to reach Wedgwood, Trentham and Alton Towers.
Ride with ZeroLanes. From your door, the station or the airport to anywhere in Stoke-on-Trent, at a price fixed before you confirm. Travelling between cities? Get a fixed price for the journey, or keep a car and driver for the day with hourly hire.