Middleport Pottery

Sara Jaspan, Exhibitions Editor
Middleport Pottery
Image courtesy of Middleport Pottery

The district of Middleport in the west of Burslem (‘Mother Town’ of The Potteries) is a place where life, work and history sit closely side-by-side. Its network of distinctive Victorian terraced houses is interwoven with one of the richest stretches of canal-side industrial heritage in Britain, and interspersed with several former and still active factories, including Middleport Pottery – the only working Victorian pottery remaining in the city. Built in 1888, the beautifully-conserved grade II* listed site has been producing its world-famous Burleigh Pottery for over 120 years, with many of its current workforce practicing the same traditional handcraft techniques passed down by generations before them.

Following a £9 million restoration by The Prince’s Regeneration Trust in 2014, the factory is now an award-winning tourist destination. Here visitors can step inside the building’s monumental bottle kiln, observe the giant steam engine that once powered the entire factory, learn about every stage of Burleigh production ‘from clay to cup’ on a twice-daily tour through the red-brick maze (£9.50 adults – £8.00 concessions, booking essential) and test their own pottery skills at one of the centre’s monthly ‘Relax with Clay’ workshops (£16 per person or £12 for Middleport Pottery members, booking essential).

If an admirer of handcraft china, make sure you call at the Burleigh Shop, which boasts the largest collection of local Burleigh pottery in existence; and stop for a slice of cake at the centre’s perfectly-formed Totally Delicious tearoom where you’ll find a series of Burleigh-inspired murals by local artist Joyce Iwaszko. Lastly, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Middleport Studios – a group of 10 contemporary and traditional workshops housed within the factory’s grounds producing fine art, photography, ceramics, jewellery and bespoke furniture – before you leave.

Note: Music lovers, enjoy an evening of retro nouveau Jazz on 28 Aug and 25 Sept by Fine and Dandy – a talented quartet whose repertoire includes classics from the Great American Songbook, Tin Pan Alley plus the odd foray into Bluegrass (7-9pm, £3 entry on the door).

Find out what else is on in Stoke-on-Trent this summer here.

Port St, MiddleportStoke-on-TrentST6 3PE View map
Telephone: 01782499766 Visit Now

Opening Hours

  • Monday10:00am - 4:00pm
  • Tuesday10:00am - 4:00pm
  • Wednesday10:00am - 4:00pm
  • Thursday10:00am - 4:00pm
  • Friday10:00am - 4:00pm
  • Saturday10:00am - 4:00pm
  • Sunday10:00am - 4:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Middleport Pottery

Where to go near Middleport Pottery

The Wedgwood Institite, Burslem summer in stoke on trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Tourist Attraction
Burslem Town Square

‘Mother town’ of The Potteries, Burslem dates back to at least 1085 when it appears listed in the Domesday Book. Today, the wealth and fortune generated by the boom in global demand for Staffordshire pottery can still be seen reflected in the town’s many fine red brick buildings and grand displays of civic pride.

Stoke-on-Trent
Gallery
AirSpace Gallery

AirSpace Gallery is a collaborative, artist led project in Stoke-on-Trent, providing studio and exhibiting space as well as professional support and development opportunities for artists.

Bethesda Chapel, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Place of worship
Bethesda Chapel

Bethesda Methodist Chapel in Hanley is considered to be one of England’s grandest surviving town chapels – and it’s easy to see why.

Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Stoke-on-Trent
Museum
Potteries Museum & Art Gallery

Home to the most significant collection of Staffordshire ceramics in the world and the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found, a visit to Stoke-upon-Trent is not complete without an afternoon whiled away in The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

Stoke-on-Trent
Library
City Central Library, Hanley

Described as “the finest and most distinctive example of Modernist architecture in Stoke-on-Trent”, City Central Library is Stoke-on-Trent’s largest library, home to the city archives.

Emma Bridgwater Factory, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Museum
Emma Bridgwater Factory

The pottery lover’s mecca, over 1.3 million Emma Bridgwater pieces are produced at the designer’s Stoke-on-Trent based factory every year – each one touched by over 30 deftly-skilled hands. Take an award-winning tour, visit the heavily discounted shop and have a go at producing your own earthenware masterpiece.

Stoke Minster, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Place of worship
Stoke Minster

Just a short walk from Stoke-on-Trent train station is Stoke Minster, believed to have once been an important Celtic religious site and where Christian worship has taken place since Saxon times.

Gladstone Pottery Museum Summer in Stoke on Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Museum
Gladstone Pottery Museum

The last complete Victorian pottery factory in Britain, Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton provides a unique insight into the history of Stoke-on-Trent; an area renowned for its world-class pottery and ceramics.

Culture Guides