World of Wedgwood is an award winning tourist attraction set in 240 acres of countryside in the village of Barlaston, Staffordshire. The area is known as ‘The Potteries’ and is home to the world famous Wedgwood brand, a company is steeped in rich heritage. Spanning over 260 wonderful years, Wedgwood continues today to be renowned for its quality, design and timeless elegance.
Getting there by road and rail:
The World of Wedgwood is easily accessible from the M6 motorway and benefits from a large, free car park. For visitors arriving by public transport, the nearest railway station is Stoke-on-Trent six miles away. From there it’s possible to take D & G bus service 14 to Barlaston followed by a 20 minute scenic walk.
Visiting by canal boat:
We arrived by canal boat on the concluding stage of our epic two week journey around the Four Counties Ring. After mooring our Drifters Boating Holidays hire boat close to Bridge 104 it was then just a 15 minute walk through the Wedgwood Estate to the entrance. Taking time out to visit attractions as part of a canal holiday is an enjoyable experience if time allows.
Wedgwood Factory Tour
The modern buildings are arranged around a courtyard and have huge willow sculptures in the shape of crockery adorning the exterior. We arrived at 10.00 a.m. just as the doors were being opened and as our factory tour wasn’t for another 15 minutes this gave us an opportunity to look around the Wedgwood Store which displays the current exquisite Wedgwood china and Waterford Crystal ranges. Like Wedgwood, Waterford has a long-standing rich history producing fine, hand-crafted luxury products and is now part of the Wedgwood family.
We then returned to the entrance foyer which is dominated by a huge ceramic mosaic of the company’s founder Josiah Wedgwood. Here, we were joined by the other 12 people on the factory tour (one hour tours cost ￡12.50). Our tour guide introduced himself and after outlying the health and safety precautions of entering the factory, we were led up a flight of steps onto the shop floor where we followed a walkway behind a safety rail to view the various processes taking place.
We paused frequently to observe the techniques and with the aid of a microphone, our guide explained the steps necessary for producing high quality ceramics and of how a lump of clay could be transformed into a delicate piece of bone china.
Towards the end of the tour it was interesting to watch intricate hand painting and gold edging being applied to plates and dishes. A time consuming activity but one that makes Wedgwood very special. Moving on to the design studio we could see where new vase and tableware designs were being created and learnt how these could then be transferred onto the ceramics using moulds and transfers. We found the tour to be very interesting and with ample time to observe and ask questions at each stage of the process it provided us with an insight into the workings of Wedgwood.
The V & A Wedgwood Collection
Following the factory tour we explored the Wedgwood Collection comprising a collection of 80,000 works of art, ceramics, letters and photographs that is now owned by the V & A, but continues to be on display at the World of Wedgwood. The exhibition starts with a chronological history of the company focusing on the history of Josiah Wedgwood from his achievements, innovations and family life to the stunning ceramic wares, designs and patterns produced from the 18th century to the present day.
The pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent began in the mid-seventeenth century in a small way aided by the abundance of local coal and clay. The industry quickly expanded and Stoke-on-Trent became the hub of the ceramic industry. Josiah Wedgwood invested ￡10,000 in 1761 (about ￡4 million today) of his own money to build the Trent & Mersey Canal. This enabled the easy movement of coal and clay into Stoke and the exportation of completed goods, helping the pottery industry to thrive.
The museum contains many exquisite items, hand painted figurines and examples of the iconic blue and white Jasper ware for which Wedgwood became famous. Alongside self-guided tours visitors can also join a 45 minute guided tour which takes place at 3.15 p.m. each day. (Tickets ￡10).
Enjoy afternoon tea in the Wedgwood Tea Room
It was then time for afternoon tea in the luxurious Wedgwood tea room. I adore afternoon tea and the setting at Wedgwood couldn’t be more beautiful. The tea room is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea with the latter being without doubt the most popular.
We were shown to our table and handed menus. Afternoon tea (￡32.50) is available in classic, vegetarian and vegan options. We selected our choice of teas and these were served on delicate Wedgwood bone china. I liked it that the teas had been brewed with leaves but strained before being brought to the table. As I use teabags at home I invariably forget to use the strainer when in cafes so this was a plus point for me.
A traditional three tier cake stand came filled with a delicious assortment of freshly prepared finger sandwiches, scones, jam and clotted cream. The top tier contained a tempting assortment of sweet treats including a fruit posset, meringues, cakes and a macaroon in the iconic Wedgwood blue colour.
Teapots were replenished as often as desired and we found taking afternoon tea at World of Wedgwood to be a luxuriously self indulgent experience not to be missed. On our way out of the tea room we paused to admire a dragon art installation constructed from white porcelain plates.
The Creative Studios
After a leisurely afternoon tea, it was then time to take the lift up to the Creative Studios, roll up our sleeves, pick up an apron and take a seat at a potter’s wheel. We’d arranged a one hour taster session to have a go at creating our own masterpieces. Grace was our studio potter for the class and after giving us a demonstration of what we would be doing, it was time to give it a try for ourselves.
Our first task was to prepare the clay by bashing it down hard onto a table to remove air and then to throw it carefully onto the centre of the potter’s wheel. These had electric motors so thankfully we didn’t have to worry about operating a foot pedal at the same time as working the clay. With expert guidance every step of the way we each created a small pot to be proud of.
Next came the harder part as we had to try and throw a pot with minimal supervision which was easier said than done but thankfully Grace was always on hand to sort out problems like wonky shapes as they occurred. The session was so much fun that the time sped by and despite ending up splattered in clay, we all had a great time.
On the photo you can see our completed creations which we left to be fired and glazed. I can’t wait to receive the finished pots in the coming weeks and I’m sure they’ll take pride of place at home. If you are also interested in unleashing your creative talents on the potter’s wheel then more details can be found here.
Wedgwood Store & Factory Outlet
Before returning to the boat we wandered across the courtyard to take a look in the Wedgwood store and factory outlet shop to view products on display and to perhaps pick up a bargain or two.
Wedgwood is now owned by the Finnish gardening and homeware group Fiskars. Even if you haven’t heard of them, it’s likely that you have a pair of their orange handled scissors lurking in your kitchen drawers. Regular readers will know of my love of all things Finnish and with the group also owning Iittala and Moomin Arabia I was definitely in the right place. Other high end brands under the Fiskars name include Royal Copenhagen, Waterford, Georg Jensen, Royal Albert and Gerber.
Adjacent to these stores is the spacious Dining Hall with an outdoor terrace which provides an informal and less expensive alternative to the tearoom. Although I’d recommend booking onto one or more of the experiences on offer, visitors can visit the V & A collection free of charge.
Well, what a day we’d had experiencing the very best of British industrial and design heritage, partaking of a delicious afternoon tea and enjoying a fun hour of pot throwing.
