Coalport China Museum

We start in the courtyard outside the main entrance where you will see the remains of the Shropshire Canal, which delivered tub boats carrying coal and limestone from the mines of east Shropshire down to the River Severn where the raw materials were transhipped downriver. You can see why Coalport China Museum was built here because the location was convenient with a constant supply of coal from the canal and the adjacent river for shipping out finished products.

Look to your right and you will see the John Rose building, which is the earliest surviving structure of the China works. It was built in the early 19^th century and functions as a youth hostel today.

Turn around and head towards the museum front entrance. To the left of the door is the bricked up remains of an arch where the canal would have originally run through. This marks an early part of the museum building that was constructed as a transhipment warehouse.

Enter the museum, purchase your ticket, or pass, then head up to the first gallery where you will see a collection of pottery from Bradley & Company, a firm that stood opposite the China works of John Rose on the other side of the canal. Bradley specialised in earthenware, which is pottery that is slightly porous, and course initially made with high quality cream colouring. The firm was amalgamated by John Rose into the expanding site of the Coalport China Works.

Nearby is the Northumberland Vase, one of the largest pieces ever made at Coalport. It is a showpiece to demonstrate the skills of the workforce and was displayed at the 1862 International Exhibiton in London where it won a Bronze medal, which is also on display. The exhibition catalogue states Messrs Rose of Coalport could compete with any in Europe.

We found this item to be of particular interest. It is a Coalport China moustasche cup with pink flower decoration and marked England crown circa 1900.

Another exhibit displays some of the earliest porcelain products by John Rose whilst he controlled another works across the river before moving to Coalport. Many of the items date from 1792 to 1820.

Once you have had a chance to see all the exhibits on this floor, head upstairs to the next where you will find a display of products from the Caughley China Works, which existed nearby at Broseley and is where John Rose started his training before founding his works at Coalport. In the early years, the works at Caughley concentrated on blue and white porcelain to perfect the process of transfer printin from copper plates. Designs were printed in cobalt blue on tissue paper, then applied to the absorbent procelain. The tissue was washed away and the piece was dipped in glaze and re-fired to seal the pattern.

Once you have finished viewing this floor, head back downstairs and take the door leading outside into the kiln courtyard. Head north and turn right into the pottery workshop. This small building is a typical example of the space that existed during the heyday of the China works, which highlights how the site expanded without any real plan. There were many more small workshops muddled together such as this example that have since been demolished.

As you exit, head right into the bottle kiln a view of how it would have operated. Inside the main structure is the interior kiln loaded with saggars, rough clay containers into which China was placed to protect it from flames, soot, and smoke during firing. At the bottom you can see the firemouths where the coal fire was lit. Heat was channelled under the kiln floor up through the stacked saggars.

As you exit the kiln, head right into a small courtyard where the remains of the Smuggler Kiln can be seen. This structure most likely was built from recycled materials from the Caughley factory, which John Rose had ran before demolishing in 1814. The kiln was small and used for quick firing probably enamel colours or gold decoration. The name of the kiln may have been stated by workers hiding beer in this far corner of the site. Alcohol was forbidden and those who offended were fined; however, many workers believed that beer had health benefits, which we now know to be true as opposed to drinking polluted water taken from the River Severn.

Head back into the kiln courtyard and turn right into the Saggar workshop. Saggar manufacturing is now an endangered skill because they are no longer required due to the use of modern electric kilns. It’s refreshing to see Saggar making is still demonstrated at the museum and we were lucky enough to film this process delivered by Justine, the resident Saggar expert. Her creations are now sold as plant pots in the gift shop.

Head back to the courtyard and enter the bottle kiln adjacent to the main building, which is the start of a winding exhibition that details more about the history of the site and the manufacturing of China. Then head to the southern end of the site and enter the long workshop, which contains numerous exhibitions about the different kinds of porcelain. Notice the shelves are not fixed to their supports. That is because workers would have carried these shelves around the site with products sitting on them.

The long workshop is still used by skilled artisans who are keeping the tradition of China decoration alive and well. We were honoured to be given a demontration of decorating a plate with a porcelain ink pen by Karen, a resident artisan.

Don’t forget to peruse the gift shop on your way out.