Coalport China Museum, Industrial heritage museum in Ironbridge Gorge, England
Coalport China Museum occupies the original factory buildings along the Severn River and Coalport Canal in Ironbridge Gorge. The collection displays extensive examples of ceramics produced at Coalport and Caughley, ranging from tableware to decorative pieces and sculptural forms made across different production periods.
John Rose founded the ceramic factory in 1795 after training with potter Thomas Turner, later acquiring the Caughley production facility. This merger brought together two major traditions of English porcelain making from the late 18th century.
The museum showcases ceramic craftsmanship through working demonstrations held in the original workshops on site. Visitors can watch artisans shaping clay and decorating porcelain, gaining direct insight into the techniques that once engaged the factory workforce daily.
The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday and provides accessibility facilities for visitors with mobility needs. One-day ceramic workshops are available for visitors who want to try hands-on techniques with instruction from experienced instructors.
The Northumberland Vase represents the largest piece ever produced at the Coalport factory, demonstrating the maximum potential of their manufacturing techniques. This showpiece reveals the ambition of the manufactory to prove its capabilities through monumental ceramic work.
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