British tea set ()
If you’ve been in England for a bit, then you know how important afternoon tea is. The next time you pop into a friend’s house for a cuppa, or attend a lavish afternoon tea service in London, sip your beverage and then admire the porcelain cup it’s been poured into. Likely, it was manufactured by a company based in Stoke-on-Trent.
Click here for a Google Map of shops and factories in Stoke-on-Trent!
The story of teatime
Some of the world’s finest tea sets are produced in Staffordshire, England. In 1910, the villages of Burslem, Tunstall, Fenton, Hanley, Longton and Stoke were officially unified into a single city. Located along the winding River Trent, this amalgamated city is now known as Stoke-on-Trent, and it is the best place in England to get high-quality ceramics.
With an overabundance of clay and coal, these villages became known as “The Potteries.” In 1759, Josiah Wedgwood opened his world-renowned factory. A few decades later, Josiah Spode added a bone ash and kaolin to the porcelain, inventing bone china — the finest and strongest in the world. By the early 1800s, English potters adopted Spode’s methods and Stoke-on-Trent became a production center for fine china. The Victorian era saw a boom in ceramics as afternoon teatime became a demonstration of wealth.
Supposedly, it was the seventh Duchess of Bedford, Anna Maria Russel, who started the afternoon tea sensation. With dinnertime being served fashionably late around 8 p.m., this lady-in-waiting for Queen Victoria began requesting mid-afternoon tea and snack services in her room. Soon, others took notice and joined her for what quickly grew into a nationwide custom.
Build your own Tea Set
Are you ready to adopt this tradition into your own family? You’ll need to start with a tea set. Gone are the days of matching cups and saucers. Instead, build your own colorful mixed collection by visiting the ceramics factories in Stoke-on-Trent.
A basic tea seat includes a teapot, cups with saucers, a small milk pitcher and a sugar bowl. You will also need a tea strainer and spoons. Add-ons to consider for your collection are a second teapot for hot water, a small plate for lemon slices, table plates or a tiered serving tray.
Start with a visit to The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery for an in-depth and interactive history of English pottery. This free museum also houses galleries displaying other historical aspects of the local area. After that, delve into the pottery shops and factories. Here are eight places to get you started:
Dudson Pottery Factory The longest surviving ceramics factory in the area is open to the public as a free museum at the original red-brick factory. Enter through a conical bottle oven to learn about the company and its workers and see their historical pattern displays. A mile down the road is The Potters Shed outlet for your shopping needs.
Middleport Pottery Visit this factory to compare the old and new faces of ceramics. The visitors center features old Victorian offices, original bottle kilns and a steam engine, while a factory tour is offered to see the current production of the Burleigh line. There is also a café and factory shop.
Emma Bridgewater Factory This modern factory is still an active producer of British ceramics, and you can take a tour to see the artists in action. There is a studio for visitors to paint their own pottery and a tearoom for an afternoon break. The shop offers great deals on ‘seconds’ – slightly blemished pieces.
Spode Museum When this Spode factory closed its doors in 2007, it became a museum where you can watch demonstrations of hand-painting pottery, see the original machinery, step inside the famous Blue Room gallery and learn about factory workers. There is a tearoom for snacks and drinks, and shop stocked with Spode designs.
Portmeirion Outlet Located at this active factory, the Portmeirion outlet store is the place to find great deals on their classic Botanic Garden floral designs.
World of Wedgwood This place has it all. The factory tour lasts about 45 minutes and takes visitors from design to creation of this world-renowned white-on-blue ceramic. There is also the Wedgwood Collection – a museum showcasing historical designs. Pottery classes are available for kids and adults, plus there are shops, three cafes and a tearoom offering a formal afternoon tea.
There are many other ceramics shops and factories in the area. It is also enjoyable to poke around the many charity shops where you can sometimes find rare treasures. Whether you add to your collection or simply learn about pottery heritage, a visit to Stoke-on-Trent is sure to leave you appreciating teatime.
