As I watched the wet lump of clay spin madly on the potter’s wheel, I tentatively loosened my fingers, hoping it would soon resemble a pot. Thankfully, two instructors led the six of us through this hour-long tasting session and, in my case, rescued a crumbling pile of clay. I glanced at other people’s work, elegant vases and bowls, then turned to mine, which looked like a volcano. Still, I’m impressed with myself for making something that resembles pottery, and it’s fun to get addicted to it.
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I’ve been wanting to try pot tossing ever since I moved to Stoke-on-Trent 14 years ago and here at World of Wedgwood I finally gave it a try (taster session £32.50). Channel 4’s The Great Pottery Throw Down is filmed at Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton, one of the six towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent. Stoke, world-renowned for its ceramics, achieved World Craft City status last July and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025. As an Honorary Stokie, it seems like the perfect time to discover more of my adopted home.
There’s a local joke that if you lift a plate to see the stamp on the bottom, you’ll know that someone is from Stoke.
The World of Wedgwood is one of the city’s top tourist attractions and still produces Wedgwood pottery. I went on a guided tour of the V&A Wedgwood Collection. Your guide, Julia, will explain the 3,000 key items on display. “He was a local kid from a family of potters,” she says of Josiah Wedgwood. He founded the Etruscan factory in the city, revolutionizing the way factories produced mass quantities. Naturally, there’s also plenty of ceramics on display, including Blue Jasperware’s distinctive neoclassical designs and Wedgwood’s own First Day vases.
Gladstone Potteries is the venue for The Great Pottery Throw Down. Photo: Chris Chambers/Alamy
There’s a local joke that if you pick up a piece of crockery and look at the stamp on the bottom to see where it was made, you can tell that the person is from Stoke. “Yes, Wedgwood,” my husband said, checking his plate after finishing his gnocchi at Lunar Restaurant. A large moon hangs in the center of the elegant room. Wedgwood was part of an enlightened society based in Birmingham known as the Moon Society.
Emma Bridgewater is a modern example of Stoke Ceramics, a brand that has been making pottery since the 1980s. In a busy public decorating studio, I chose a half-pint mug to paint. I spend 90 minutes delicately drawing a floral design and by the time I’m done, I’m mostly satisfied with my work. Afternoon tea (light sandwiches and scones drizzled with cream) in the cozy cafe is the perfect way to unwind afterwards.
Middleport Pottery’s bottle kiln and chimney next to the Mersey Trent Canal. Photo: Chris Chambers/Alamy
Factory tours are a popular tourist attraction in Stoke. Middleport Pottery is the home of Burleigh Pottery and offers guided tours of the factory, which has been in continuous use since 1889. It’s interesting to see potters still using processes that are over 100 years old, and your guide will explain each step. Marvel at underglaze tissue prints, where ink designs on tissue paper are transferred directly to ceramics by hand. This is the only place that still uses this technology and I was transfixed looking out into the rooms where people were working.
The Pottery Gallery is a brilliant exploration of the history of pottery, and other collections include fine art and local history
After eating a hearty Staffordshire oatcake (similar to a crepe, but made with oats and served with a savory filling) at the Packing House Cafe, join the Middleport Pottery Heritage Trail I will. Best of all, you can step inside an old bottle oven. Used for firing pottery, thousands of these towering structures once punctuated the city’s skyline. Currently, about 47 units remain.
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The Pottery Museum & Art Gallery in Hanley is where I take friends visiting the area. The Pottery Gallery beautifully explores the history of pottery, and other collections include fine art and local history. It’s in my favorite part of the city centre, with a pedestrianized Piccadilly lined with eateries (I highly recommend Bottle Craft), independent shops such as Drop City Books, and a community presence in the area. It brings a feeling.
Contestants on “The Great Pottery Throwdown” return to Chanel 4 on January 5th. Photo: Marc Bourdillon
This year is packed with events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city’s incorporation. Feasted Chef’s Table will launch its 100th anniversary menu in February, featuring dishes that draw on the heritage of Stoke’s six towns. Headed up by local chef Chris Cohen, Chef’s Table seats 12 people dining together in a repurposed room from the Victorian-era pot bank Spode Works. Currently, dozens of creators are working there. Trentham Gardens, a popular afternoon stroll destination, has announced a special music festival in May. Celebration Weekends are held across the city during the first weekend of June, and in September the British Ceramics Biennale will host its next festival celebrating contemporary ceramics. I’m looking forward to seeing how Stoke-on-Trent approaches this milestone and what the next 100 years will bring for the place I call home.
The new series of The Great Pottery Throwdown begins on January 5 at 7.45pm on Channel 4. Gladstone Pottery Museum will reopen to the public on January 2 as part of Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary celebrations. Activities organized with support from Stoke100. For more information, visit visitstoke.co.uk.
