Home / Tours / Great British Heritage / Great British Heritage / The Potteries of Staffordshire
Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Great British Heritage

The Potteries of Staffordshire

Discover the craftsmanship and creativity that made Staffordshire famous on this expert-led Staffordshire pottery tour. In the company of Dr Maddie Hewitson, explore the region’s remarkable ceramics heritage through its outstanding collections, historic factories and traditional skills.

Visit the Wedgwood Factory and the renowned V&A Wedgwood Collection, followed by a Champagne afternoon tea in the Wedgwood tearoom. Hear insights from the curators of the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, discover traditional production methods at Middleport Pottery and step inside the preserved Victorian workshops of Gladstone Pottery Museum, where you will also take part in a clay vessel-building workshop. Together, these visits reveal the artistry, innovation and working lives behind centuries of British ceramics.

From

per person

Book Now
Enquire About This Tour

what’s included

At A Glance

  • The Travel Editions Experience
    Two nights’ accommodation at the four-star Hilton Garden Inn Stoke, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
  • Meals Included
    All breakfasts, one lunch, one afternoon tea and two dinners.
  • Handpicked Accommodation
    Two nights’ accommodation at the four-star Upper House Hotel, Barlaston, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room.
  • Discover the Potteries of Staffordshire
    Discover the craftsmanship, heritage and artistry of Staffordshire’s world-famous Potteries on this two-night tour with Dr Maddie Hewitson. Highlights include a guided Wedgwood Factory tour, the V&A Wedgwood Collection, a private curatorial talk at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Middleport Pottery, Gladstone Pottery Museum and a hands-on clay vessel workshop.
  • Your Expert Guide
    Accompanied by Dr Maddie Hewitson throughout, with dedicated tour manager, including all tours and entrance fees as detailed.
  • Transport & Travel
    Coach touring itinerary and tour manager throughout
Meet Your Expert Guide

Dr Maddie Hewitson

Maddie is an art historian whose Travel Editions tours explore British art, sculpture, ceramics and the cultural history surrounding them. Her subjects range from the craftsmanship and industrial heritage of the Staffordshire Potteries to twentieth-century art and sculpture in Yorkshire.

Travellers consistently praise Maddie’s knowledge, enthusiasm and ability to connect individual works with their wider historical and local context. Her accessible approach makes galleries, collections and working heritage sites rewarding for experienced art lovers and newcomers alike.

Meet Our Expert Guides
itinerary & excursions

Your Itinerary

Explore this incredible tour in detail and discover what makes each day so special. Below, you’ll find a full day-by-day breakdown of your journey, from the moment you arrive to your final farewell. Learn more about the highlights you’ll experience, the unforgettable places you’ll visit, and the unique moments that bring each destination to life. Whether you’re drawn by rich history, stunning landscapes or unforgettable cultural encounters, this itinerary gives you everything you need to picture your adventure and look forward to every step of the way.

Wedgwood

Day 1: Arrival at The  Hilton Garden Inn Stoke

Arrive at the hotel from 15:00. Evening welcome drink, dinner with wine and talk from Dr Maddie Hewitson.

Wedgwood

Day 2: Wedgwood Factory and The Potteries Museum and Gallery

Begin your journey into the heart of British ceramics at the iconic Wedgwood Factory, home to the world-renowned V&A Wedgwood Collection. Enjoy a guided factory tour and visit to the museum and V&A collection followed by a champagne afternoon tea in the Wedgwood tearoom.

In the afternoon visit the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. Listen to an introductory talk from the museum’s curators, offering insight into the region’s rich pottery heritage followed by a visit to the museum. Evening talk at the hotel from Maddie followed by dinner with wine. 

Gladstone Pottery

Day 3: Middleport Pottery and Gladstone Pottery Museum

Begin the day with a visit to Middleport Pottery for a guided virtual tour of the working Burleigh Factory from clay to cup. This is a chance to see traditional methods of pottery manufacture still in use today, with a special hands-on ‘show and tell’ of the various moulds used.

After lunch in the café, we then visit the Gladstone Pottery Museum, a beautifully preserved Victorian factory where you’ll explore traditional methods of pottery production and the lives of the workers who shaped the industry. While here, we will also have the chance to get our hands dirty and take part in a clay vessel building workshop. Your final masterpiece will be fired at the museum and be sent in the post to you approx. 2 weeks after the tour. Return to the hotel for 17.30 where the tour will end.

Availability

Choose Your Departure

Date
Departing From
Price From
Availability
Stoke
£
Enquire Now
Destination
Departure Date
Browse By Interest
HOTELS

Tour Accommodation

Hilton Garden Inn Stoke
Hilton Garden Inn Stoke offers a welcoming, peaceful stay in Hanley’s Cultural Quarter. Stylish rooms include fridges and tea/coffee makers, while dining at the on-site restaurant and bar provides friendly, relaxed service. It is within walking distance of the Cultural Quarter, including the Regent Theatre, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, and Potteries Shopping Centre. Bedrooms are modern and comfortable with air-conditioning, TV, telephone, wifi, safe, mini fridge, hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities. 

Complimentary car parking for Travel Editions clients is available at the hotel.

Hotel Website

our regular tours

Mobility Information

This tour has a moderate fitness rating, reflecting a fuller itinerary with a good balance of visits, walking and time spent exploring on foot.
 
Some visits may involve cobbled streets, uneven paving, slopes, steps, stairs, limited seating, or walking from the coach drop-off point to the entrance of a site or attraction. The exact demands will vary from day to day, and we highlight specific practical details within the itinerary wherever possible.
 
You should feel comfortable walking at a steady group pace, standing during visits and enjoying a full day of sightseeing.
 
If you are unsure whether this tour is right for you, please contact us before booking.

Mobility Information
Your questions answered

Tour FAQ

If you have a question, we are more than happy to answer it via email or phone, but you may find your answer below more quickly.

Simply complete our online booking form or give us a call on 020 7251 0045 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday where you can speak to a real person. A 20% deposit per person is required at the time of booking, to book your place. Payments by debit card or credit card incur no charge. 

You must pay for the balance of your holiday at least 12 weeks before departure. Please note: no reminder for balance payments is sent to you and are not receipted unless requested. If you book your holiday within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at time of booking. Please note that some tours may require final payment to be paid earlier than 12 weeks, due to financial commitment with suppliers. The exact date will be notified to you at the time of booking. Final joining instructions and documentation will be dispatched approximately 10 days before travel.

In almost all cases, the price includes your accommodation, meals as described in the itinerary, all excursions shown in the programme, and travel arrangements from the UK. Excursions are taken by private coach exclusively for Travel Editions guests. If anything is ever excluded from the price, it will be clearly marked as optional and payable locally, you won’t find any hidden extras on your final bill. Travel Editions operates a firm no-surcharge policy, so the price you are quoted is the price you pay.

The specifics vary by tour and are set out in your individual itinerary, but most of our tours depart from London, either by Eurostar from St Pancras International or by air. For rail tours, we advise allowing at least one hour before the Eurostar departure when planning your journey to London. For flights, all costs are based on economy class unless otherwise stated, and all times shown are local time. For tours in the UK, these often start at the hotel in question.

Flight upgrades and connections from regional airports are available on request and subject to availability, contact us on 020 7251 0045 or at tours@traveleditions.co.uk for details. We strongly recommend not booking non-refundable connecting travel until you have received your final joining instructions, which are sent around 10 days before departure and confirm all timings and meeting points.

Yes, and you’re very welcome. Single room supplements apply on most tours, reflecting the fact that single and double rooms are generally priced similarly by hotels. If you would prefer to share with another solo traveller of the same gender, we are happy to arrange this, simply let us know at the time of booking. Sharing is subject to another traveller in the same situation being booked on the same tour.

Each tour is accompanied by a dedicated tour manager, who in most cases will travel out from the UK with the group. On some tours, the tour manager will meet you at your destination station or airport, with full details being confirmed in your joining instructions 10 days before travel. Many of our tours are also led by expert lecturers or specialist guides whose knowledge brings each destination to life; details of who will be accompanying your particular tour are included in the individual tour pages and itineraries.

Read More FAQs
Fresh Adventures for Inquisitive Travellers

Why Choose Travel Editions?

Travel with purpose, passion, and like-minded companions, here’s what sets Travel Editions apart.

Designed for Travellers,
Not Tourists

Founded in 1994 offering unique cultural tours beyond typical high street itineraries.

Personal Service, Real People

Small, friendly team with no automated phone lines. Enjoy personal attention from our team.

Expert Tour Guides, Unique Insights

Industry-leading guides, some since day one, who speak local languages and have detailed knowledge.

Win a 2027 Holiday for Two!

Sign Up To Our
Newsletter For A
Chance To Win

Our newsletter is where you will hear about new tours first, along with travel insights from our leaders and occasional notes from the destinations we visit. We send it thoughtfully: no noise, just the things we think you will genuinely want to read.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name*