Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Royal Doulton, Portmeirion, Moorcroft, and Aynsley are among the 30 pottery attrac-
tions still based in the city.
Today Stoke-on-Trent is a loose confederation of six towns (Tunstall, Burslem,
Stoke, Fenton, Longton, and Hanley, the most important) with little else to detain
you, though it's also famous for being one of the original 1960s' centers of what's
dubbed
northern soul
(the focus being on lesser-known Motown-style soul groups).
Northern soul has made a comeback in recent years; venues like King's Hall host
“all-nighters” (9pm-7am) four times a year, though the dancers are likely to be in their
40s these days.
Essentials
GETTING THERE
From London's Euston Station, Virgin Trains take 1
1
⁄
2
hours to
Stoke-on-Trent. Trains make half-hourly departures daily (one-way from £28).
By car from London, drive along the M1 and then the M6 to the A500 at junction
15. It will take you 2 to 3 hours.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The
Stoke-on-Trent Tourist Information Cen-
tre,
Victoria Hall, Bagnall Street, Cultural Quarter (
&
01782/236000;
www.visit
stoke.co.uk), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm.
Exploring the Area
Dudson Museum
MUSEUM This is a fascinating showcase for the oldest-
surviving family business in the local ceramics industry. You can explore the original
Dudson factory courtyard and even step inside the cavernous bottle oven to view a
collection of rare pieces. Exhibitions trace the history of the Dudson company from
1800 to the present day.
Hope St., Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
&
01782/285286.
www.dudson.com. Free admission. Mon-Fri
10am-3pm.
Gladstone Pottery Museum
MUSEUM This is the only complete Victorian
pottery factory that has been restored as a museum, with craftspeople providing daily
demonstrations in the original workshops. Various galleries depict the rise of the Staf-
fordshire pottery industry, tile history, and so on (check out the toilets of all shapes,
sizes, colors, and decoration). There are great hands-on opportunities for plate paint-
ing, pot throwing, and ornamental-flower making.
Uttoxeter Rd., Longton.
&
01782/237777.
www.stokemuseums.org.uk/gpm. Admission £6.95 adults,
£5.50 seniors and students, £4.75 children 4-16, £20 family ticket, free for children 3 and under. Daily
10am-5pm (last admission 4pm).
Moorcroft Museum & Factory Tour
FACTORY TOUR Moorcroft was founded
in 1898 by William Moorcroft, who produced his own special brand of pottery and
was his own exclusive designer until his death in 1945. The small museum highlights
his decorative designs, but the main event is the factory tour. It's a bit like going back
in time; things have changed little on the factory floor since Moorcroft's day. You'll
observe all the handmade processes of mold-making, slip casting, hand turning, tube
lining, hand painting, kiln firing, and finally glazing.
Sandbach Rd., Burslem.
&
01782/820500.
www.moorcroft.com. Factory tours £4.50 adults, £3.50
seniors, £2.50 children 11-16. Tours Mon and Wed-Thurs 11am and 2pm, Fri 11am only; all tours must be
booked 2 weeks in advance. Museum and shop Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 9:30am-4:30pm. A taxi from
the Stoke-on-Trent train station will run to about £10. If you're driving from London, follow the M1 north
to the M6. Take it north to junction 15, which becomes the A500. Follow the signs.
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