Your 2013 guide to Stoke-on-Trent The Potteriesmediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publication/SS-Stoke/cms/pdf/Visitor guide (2).pdfa sea of colour on display, hot autumn colours shimmer before

Your 2013 guide to Stoke-on-Trent The Potteries

visitstoke.co.uk

Contents Make it amazing Activity Map 4-5

Make it precious

History and Heritage 6-7

Make it yours

Shopping 8-9

Make it colourful Gardens and Houses 10-11

Make it fun Family fun attractions 12-13

Make it brilliant Events 14-15

Make it nearby

Out and about 16-17

There’s always something going on here

Cover Images: Emma Bridgewater shop, The Trentham Estate, Staffordshire Hoard, Emma Bridgewater, British Ceramics Biennial, Trentham Monkey Forest.

Published by Stoke-on-Trent Tourism. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this brochure is correct, Stoke-on-Trent City Council cannot accept responsibilities for any inaccuracies.

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Welcome

Stoke-on-Trent is a unique City affectionately known as The Potteries. With its rich industrial heritage it has respectfully claimed the title of World Capital of Ceramics.

The City boasts many visitor centres, award winning museums, authentic factory tours, over 25 pottery factory shops and the exclusive Staffordshire Hoard. Come and visit the Trentham Estate with its Italian Gardens, Shopping Village, Monkey Forest, Aerial Extreme and mile long lake.

We are also the closest city to Alton Towers Theme Park. A day will not be enough! The City is located less than an hour from Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool and only one and a half hours direct from London Euston by train.

WelcomeFor your FREE copy of the Pocket Guide please call the Tourist Information Centre

01782 236000or visit our website visitstoke.co.uk

Your 2013 Pocket guide to Stoke-on-Trent The Potteries

visitstoke.co.uk

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Staffordshire Peak District

Leek Market Town

Newcastle-under-LymeMarket Town

Ford Green Hall

Gladstone Pottery Museum

Two Saints Way

Churnet Valley Railway

Pottery Factory Shopping

Waterworld

Regent Theatre & Victoria Hall

Emma Bridgewater

Uttoxeter Racecourse

Drayton Manor Theme Park

British Ceramics Biennial 2013

Biddulph Grange Garden

Potteries Shopping Centre

Barefoot Walk Rode Hall and Gardens

Moorcroft

PortmeirionWedgwood Visitor Centre and Museum

Potteries Museum & Art Gallery

Staffordshire Hoard

Shugborough Estate

National Brewery Centre

Trentham Monkey Forest

The Trentham Estate

Dimensions Leisure Centre

Kilnworx Climbing Centre

Stoke-on-Trent Parks

Skate Plaza Alton Towers Resort

Fenton Manor Leisure Centre

Rudyard Lake

Denby Visitor Centre

City centre

There is so much to do and see in and around Stoke-on-Trent. From pottery to the Peak District; gardens to Gladstone; festivals to factory shopping; Wedgwood to Waterworld; the Staffordshire Hoard to the Shugborough Estate. There is something for everyone and one day will not be enough.

Burleigh

Dudson Museum

visitstoke.co.uk 5visitstoke.co.uk

Activity Map

Birmingham

Manchester

London

Make it amazing

Stoke-on-Trent

Make it preciousHistory and Heritage

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With an unrivalled heritage and very bright future, Stoke-on-Trent is officially recognised as the World Capital of Ceramics.

The City boasts award winning museums, including the fascinating Wedgwood Museum. The Museum uses its internationally renowned collection to take visitors on a 250 year interactive tour of British social, design and industrial history. The Museum complements the existing facilities of the Wedgwood Visitor Centre, which includes a fully guided factory tour; exhibitions; craft demonstration area – where you can throw your own masterpiece; retail areas; large factory shop and restaurant.

Stoke-on-Trent also has brilliant hands-on opportunities available from painting your own pottery at Emma Bridgewater and Royal Stafford, to decorating a china flower at Gladstone Pottery Museum.

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery not only houses a nationally recognised collection of Staffordshire Ceramics but is also the proud home of the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest and most valuable Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found. A new, amazing, bigger and better interactive Staffordshire Hoard exhibition is now on display until 1st Sept 2013 , together with a 9ft sculpture of a Saxon Warrior.

Complete the story of The Potteries with a factory tour of Moorcroft Heritage Visitor Centre – 2013 sees Moorcroft celebrating 100 years at their factory in Stoke-on-Trent and this milestone will be celebrated with the production of a brand new collection and a 100 piece touring exhibition.

New for 2013 is the Spode Works Visitor Centre. This two year exhibition, based at the former Spode factory, tells the stories of the Spode factory, the workers, the everyday and amazing things they made, and the collection and archive of the Spode Museum Trust. The Prince’s Regeneration Trust is currently restoring and regenerating Middleport Pottery as an engaging and creative visitor and education destination that will be open to all in 2014.

Wedgwood Visitor Centre and Museum wedgwoodvisitorcentre.com

Potteries Museum & Art Gallery stoke.gov.uk/museum

Gladstone Pottery Museum stoke.gov.uk/museum

Moorcroft Heritage Visitor Centre moorcroft.com

Dudson Museum dudson.com

National Brewery Centre nationalbrewerycentre.co.uk

Denby Visitor Centre denbyvisitorcentre.co.uk

Staffordshire Hoard visitstoke.co.uk/staffordshirehoard.aspx

Spode Works Visitor Centre spodeworks.org

Middleport Pottery middleportpottery.co.uk

Visit online before you go…

visitstoke.co.uk/backstampclub.aspxfacebook.com/backstampclub

Images: Moorcroft, The Wedgwood Visitor Centre & Wedgwood Museum, Burleigh, Staffordshire Saxon Warrior, Staffordshire Hoard

Become a member of the Backstamp Club which gives you permission to turn over pottery at anytime, anywhere in the world!

Make it yours

We have well known designers working for the great pottery manufacturers such as Emma Bridgewater, Sophie Conran at Portmeirion and Vera Wang at Wedgwood. These designs can be bought at great prices at over 25 pottery factory shops in the City. Portmeirion also produce Royal Worcester and Spode including their famous Blue Italian and Christmas Tree patterns.

Step into blue and white pottery heaven at the distinctively atmospheric Burleigh Factory Shop. Housed within part of the working Middleport Pottery, where the same traditional and highly skilled hand decorating processes are still used as when it first opened in 1888, the factory shop is home to the largest range of Burleighware in the world. Developments are now underway for a new visitor centre due to open early summer 2014.

In the City you will find everything you need from formal dinner services, to casual dining, giftware and homeware. Take a visit to the Barewall Gallery where you can view and buy original art, limited edition prints, art pottery and studio ceramics.

The Shopping Village at Trentham has 50 timber lodges housing independent retailers, cafes and restaurants including local home textile designer Jan Constantine, and new for 2013, Perfect Setting by Steelite International.

Visit the Potteries Shopping Centre in the City Centre with high street stores, food outlets, indoor and outdoor markets. Wander down to the Cultural Quarter for independent retailers and the location of the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

Shopping


Come and buy from the World Capital of Ceramics where quality products are designed and manufactured. Wedgwood, Portmeirion, Aynsley, Emma Bridgewater and Moorcroft are just a few of the leading brands you will find here.

Wedgwood & Royal Doulton Outlet store, Wedgwood at Barlaston wedgwoodvisitorcentre.com

Portmeirion portmeirion.com

Moorcroft moorcroft.com

Potteries Shopping Centre potteries.uk.com

Emma Bridgewater emmabridgewaterfactory.co.uk

Aynsley aynsley.co.uk

Royal Stafford royalstafford.co.uk

Burleigh burleigh.co.uk

Denby denby-factory-shops.co.uk

Dudson dudson.com

Leeds Pottery leeds-pottery.co.uk

Barewall barewall.co.uk

Churchill churchillchina.biz

Visit online before you go… For your FREE copy of the Pocket Guide please call the Tourist Information Centre


Images: Emma Bridgewater shop, Portmeirion, Factory shopping, City Centre Shopping, Wedgwood.


visitstoke.co.uk

Make it colourful

The Italian Gardens at the Trentham Estate are stunning throughout the year with Rivers of Grass, a Floral Labyrinth and David Austin Rose trellis. In spring the Upper Parterres shine with over 60,000 daffodils and dazzling displays of bluebells in the woods. During the summer the gardens continue to change with a sea of colour on display, hot autumn colours shimmer before the frosty jewels of winter plantings.

For a miniature tour of the world go to the National Trust’s beautiful Victorian Garden, Biddulph Grange. A visit takes you on a global journey from Italy to the pyramids of Egypt, a Victorian vision of China and a re-creation of a Himalayan glen. The garden features collections of rhododendrons, summer bedding displays, a stunning dahlia walk in late summer and the oldest surviving golden larch in Britain, brought from China in the 1850s.

Visit period houses including Rode Hall, an 18th century house set in a Repton landscape with fine furniture and porcelain and regular farmers markets, Shugborough Revisited with the newly opened private apartments of the Earls of Lichfield, and Ford Green Hall a 17th century manor house.

Stoke-on-Trent is the greenest city in the UK. Wherever you are in Stoke-on-Trent, you are never far from one of our many parks, wildlife areas, greenways, or canals. The newly established Two Saints Way pilgrimage route runs right through the middle of the city utilising some of the greenways and canal towpaths. Look out for the Stoke-on-Trent garden at the 2013 Chelsea Flower Show, where we will be displaying our horticultural prowess at this special 100 year anniversary show.

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Stoke-on-Trent has some fantastic garden attractions, including the most exciting day out in the country, the award winning Trentham Estate. Over the last 8 years the gardens at the Trentham Estate have matured into some of the finest in Britain.

Trentham Estate and Italian Gardens trentham.co.uk

Biddulph Grange Garden nationaltrust.org.uk/biddulphgrange

Rode Hall rodehall.co.uk

Ford Green Hall stoke.gov.uk/museum

Dorothy Clive Garden dorothyclivegarden.co.uk

Shugborough Estate shugborough.org.uk

Two Saints Way twosaintsway.org.uk

Stoke-on-Trent Trails visitstoke.co.uk/trails.aspx

Walking and cycling routes visitstoke.co.uk/active.co.uk

Gardens and Houses

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For your FREE copy of the Pocket Guide please call the Tourist Information Centre



Images: The Trentham Estate, Biddulph Grange Garden, Dorothy Clive, Hanley Park, Festival Park Marina.


visitstoke.co.uk

Trentham Monkey Forest monkey-forest.com

Aerial Extreme aerialextreme.co.uk

Waterworld waterworld.co.uk

Skate Plaza, Central Forest Park, City Centre stoke.gov.uk

Alton Towers Resort altontowers.com

Kilnworx kilnworx.org

Foxfield Steam Railway foxfieldrailway.co.uk

Churnet Valley Railway churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Football fixtures visitstoke.co.uk/football.aspx


Make it fun

The Trentham Estate has it all. Walk amongst 140 Barbary macaques in the 60 acre Trentham Monkey Forest where there are no fences or cages between you and the monkeys – only forest pathways. The kids can enjoy the adventure play and get naked from the knees down on the 1km long Barefoot walk where the whole family can walk in the gooey mud, through crispy leaves, over smooth stones and through a cold rippling stream.

Not only are there formal gardens, parks and open spaces but there is also over 160km of cycle routes including many quiet off road paths, greenways, canal towpaths and river routes.

Stoke-on-Trent is the nearest city to Alton Towers, just a short half hour drive away. Not only is it the UK’s premier theme park but it also has the Cariba Creek waterpark and integrated watertainment park.

Festival Park has lots of leisure and entertainment facilities including a multi screen cinema, Ski Centre and Waterworld. Enjoy a fantastic adventure with a Thrillhopper ticket, huge savings on normal admission prices to four of the UK’s top attractions: Alton Towers, Waterworld, Tamworth Snowdome and Drayton Manor Park. Tickets are available at Stoke-on-Trent Tourist Information Centre for all the theme parks.

Stoke-on-Trent is also home to two professional football teams – Premiership Stoke City and Football League 2’s Port Vale. Come and experience the thrill and excitement at first hand of a match day at Stoke City’s impressive Britannia Stadium and see some of the biggest names in world football.

Fun attractions


From monkeys to the largest skate plaza in the UK, over 1,380 hectares of parks and open spaces, a chance to swing through the trees on a ropes adventure course at Aerial Extreme or take to the climbing walls at Kilnworx. There is something for all the family to enjoy.

Images: Stoke City Football Club, The Trentham Estate, The Trentham Estate Fairies, Alton Towers, Trentham Monkey Forest.




visitstoke.co.uk

Make it brilliant

Enjoying international critical and popular success, the British Ceramics Biennial will be back for its third festival in autumn 2013. Six weeks of major exhibitions will feature UK and international artists at the original Spode factory site, new commissions from residencies with diverse ceramics industries, connecting the Potteries with Europe and China, and showcasing leading contemporary artists.

Stoke-on-Trent is a proud sporting City. The City is host to one of the hottest races in the cycling calendar – The Tour of Britain, which see’s global superstars such as 2012 Le Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins competing for the gold jersey. Various national events regularly take place at the Fenton Manor Sports complex including Boxing, Gymnastics and Table Tennis.

The Stoke Your Fires Film Festival returns to the City again from 1 to 5 March 2013 with a packed programme of events including film screenings, activities and workshops.

For a great night out visit the Cultural Quarter in the City Centre which comes alive in the evening, especially when there is a West End Show, Glyndebourne Opera or TV comedian on at the Regent Theatre, Victoria Hall, or Mitchell Arts Centre. For an alternative night out visit the Kings Hall in Stoke, home to Northern Soul All-Nighters. The Trentham Estate have an event to suit everyone, from nature lovers, to the green fingered, active kids to music lovers – all set in a truly stunning setting.

To find out more about what’s on offer and when, just click on visitstoke.co.uk and go to the What’s On section for a full list of fun and activities. Stoke-on-Trent Tourist Information Centre sell events and Alton Towers tickets – see the website for details or call on 01782 236000.

Events


Stoke-on-Trent has an exciting events programme throughout the year including a number of festivals and events that attract visitors from right across the globe.



British Ceramics Biennial britishceramicsbiennial.com

Stoke Your Fires Film Festival stokeyourfires.co.uk

Tour of Britain and Tour Series tourofbritain.com

Staffordshire Hoard visitstoke.co.uk/ staffordshirehoard.aspx

Stoke-on-Trent Canals Festival stoke.gov.uk/museum

Trentham Estate Events trentham.co.uk

Fenton Manor Sports Complex Events stoke.gov.uk/fentonmanor

Camra Beer Festival camrapotteries.co.uk

The most up to date events list can be found on visitstoke.co.uk. Just click on “What’s On” or scan in the QR code below.


Images: Regent Theatre, Hot Summer Saturday Dates, The Trentham Estate, British Ceramics Biennial, Fenton Manor, Tour of Britain.


visitstoke.co.uk

Make it nearbyOut and about

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What’s great about the City is you are not far from anywhere with our great road and rail network.

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Stoke-on-Trent offers a great base for visiting a wide range of attractions that surround the City. A 20 minute drive will take you into the stunning beauty of the Staffordshire Peak District National Park. With breathtaking landscapes as a backdrop, walking, cycling and other outdoor pursuits can all be enjoyed. Whether you want a gentle stroll, a ramble, or climb the highest peaks, maybe a family cycle along the Manifold Valley or Tissington Trail, a visit to Tittesworth reservoir or a steam train ride back in time along the Churnet valley.

There are some bustling market towns like Newcastle-under-Lyme with traditional markets, regular local farmers markets, annual food and drink festivals and the market town of Leek has antique shops and an annual walking festival. Nearby there are yet more ceramic attractions including the Visitor Centre of Denby, with even more shopping on offer.

Further south in the County there is plenty to see and do. Visit Lord Lichfield’s former home at Shugborough with a look into his life in the new apartments that have recently opened. See the cathedral city of Lichfield, Weston Park, Cannock Chase and to the east the National Brewery Centre telling the history of brewing including some tasting and the National Forest with its award winning visitor centre, Conkers.

Have a bet on the races at the fantastic, friendly and informal racecourse of Uttoxeter – don’t forget to get a discount on your tickets by purchasing them direct from the Tourist Information Centre! A short journey west into neighbouring Cheshire offers more fantastic attractions including the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Tatton Park, Anderton Boat Lift, Gawsworth Hall, National Trust’s Little Moreton Hall, and Chester is only an hour’s drive away.


National Brewery Centre nationalbrewerycentre.co.uk

Shugborough shugborough.org.uk

Denby Visitor Centre denbyvisitorcentre.co.uk

Uttoxeter Racecourse uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk

Rudyard Lake and

Tittesworth Reservoirs enjoystaffordshire.com

Drayton Manor

draytonmanor.co.uk

Mercian Trail staffordshirehoard.org.uk

Images: National Brewery Centre, Leek Market town, The Roaches, Shugborough Hall, Food and Drink Fair Denby.

Free App download for iPhone and Android – launched February 2013.

Your instant fact-packed visitor guide to Staffordshire.

To download simply scan the QR code.

Documents

Your 2013 guide to Stoke-on-Trent The Potteriesmediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publication/SS-Stoke/cms/pdf/Visitor guide (2).pdfa sea of colour on display, hot autumn colours shimmer before