Stoke-on-Trent is much more than a small, laid-back town in Central England. The people of Stoke-on-Trent have so much to be proud of. Did you know that Stoke-on-Trent was formed by combining five former villages in the Potteries region of the English Midlands? There were five towns: Burslem, Tunstall, Hanley, Stoke-upon-Trent, and Longton. Between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries, they were important pottery centers until, by 1910, they had merged into one city, Stoke-on-Trent. It is widely known that The Five Towns served as the setting for Arnold Bennett’s novels.
Next time you go on vacation, think about Stoke-on-Trent, the city of five towns. A place like this offers a rich heritage and culture, magnificent historical sites and amusement theme parks, a unique monkey forest, world-class hiking spots, and much more. Plus, exploring the area is a breeze thanks to the vast network of taxis in stoke on Trent!
Moreover, to make your trip more memorable, here are some of the best places to explore in Stoke-on-Trent:
1. Emma Bridgwater Factory
Emma Bridgwater produces more than 1.3 million pieces in her factory in Stoke-on-Trent each year – every piece is handcrafted by 30 skilled artisans. Experience a world-class tour, browse the bargain-priced store and make your earthenware masterpiece. It is indeed the mecca for pottery lovers.
2. Gladstone Pottery Museum
As the last remaining factory of Victorian pottery in Britain, Longton’s Gladstone Pottery Museum offers a unique look at Stoke-on-Trent’s history as a world-renowned pottery and ceramics region. The factory now houses a museum dedicated to learning about the manufacture of bone china tableware on the original production lines and huge furnaces of Gladstone China Works, as well as how life was at the pot bank. There are also pottery decorating, porcelain flower-making workshops, and plenty of other activities for everyone.
3. Burslem Town Square
Domesday Book records Burslem as the ‘mother town’ of The Potteries as early as 1085. The town’s fine red brick buildings and grand civic displays still display the wealth and fortune generated by the boom in global demand for Staffordshire pottery throughout the world.
4. Middleport Pottery
Originally founded in 1888, Middleport Pottery has produced Burleigh products for over 120 years. As Stoke-on-Trent’s only working Victorian pottery, it is an award-winning tourist attraction. This makes it a must-see if you’re keen on knowing about the area’s history not to mention you can also easily find taxis offering stoke transfers.
5. Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Lastly, another must-see on our list is the potteries museum and art gallery. With one of the largest collections of Anglo-Saxon treasures and the world’s most extensive collection of Staffordshire ceramics, visiting Stoke-on-Trent would not be complete without a visit to Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.
Well, this sums up our list of the best places you need to see to explore the five towns of Stoke-on-Trent. For a more comfortable and enjoyable trip, we recommend hiring a private car service, and Azure Private Hire is a perfect choice. Among their well-maintained fleet are a saloon, executives, luxury, wheelchair taxi, and pet-friendly cars regularly inspected by relevant authorities.