Middleport Pottery is the last continuously operating Victorian pottery in the U.K., and one of the most significant ceramics heritage sites in Europe. The factory was built by Burgess & Leigh (Burleigh) in 1888, and remains home to Burleigh Pottery.
Supported by public & private funding, Re-Form Heritage (then part of the Prince’s Regeneration Trust) acquired the Grade II*-listed property in 2011 and undertook sensitive renovation. The award-winning site opened to the public in 2014 as a heritage visitor attraction, and Middleport Pottery offers visitors both factory tours and a heritage trail, and also includes creative studio space, a ceramics college, and a canal-side café. The site is supported by a team of volunteers who lead tours, helping visitors to enjoy the history of the site.
In 2022, Re-Form Heritage also opened Harper Street, a terrace of eleven former pottery workers’ houses opposite Middleport Pottery, further enhancing the site offer. The terrace had been derelict for many years and sits within a conservation area of “outstanding industrial archaeological importance”. The Charity has provided a sustainable future for this historically significant street by restoring the terrace, delivering a new heritage attraction interpreting daily life in the Potteries in the 1950s, and including additional creative studios, a new home for the Burleigh archive, and a community hub.
Middleport Pottery is an attraction that engages with visitors of all ages, offering children’s activities, school visits, adult workshops and a range of engaging events.
Administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the UK Accreditation Partnership, Accreditation is the benchmark for well-run Museums and Galleries. It means that Middleport Pottery is properly managed and governed to the nationally agreed industry standard and shows the museum takes proper care of its collections, sharing them with visitors and keeping them safe for future generations.
Accreditation opens up exciting funding opportunities, allows museums to host touring exhibitions and gives access to professional advice and support. It also gives confidence to donors and sponsors who may wish to support the museum in preserving heritage and inspiring future generations.
Accreditation covers museums of all types and sizes – from the smallest volunteer-run museums to national museums – and more than 1,700 museums are currently taking part in the scheme across the UK.
Dr Alasdair Brooks, Re-Form Heritage CEO said:
“Accreditation status for Middleport Pottery marks a further milestone in this wonderful site’s recognition as one of Stoke-on-Trent’s premier heritage attractions, and will allow us to continue to grow and support our overall visitor offer, as well as manage and protect our collections for future generations.”
Emmie Kell, Director Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England said: “We’re delighted that Middleport Pottery has been successful in gaining their Accreditation status. This means that their Collections will be looked after and maintained offering inspiration, enjoyment and learning for the local community and visitors to enjoy now and in the future.”
For more information, please contact:
Victoria Astridge – Heritage & Learning Manager: Victoria.Astridge@re-form.org