Great Places to See in Stoke-On-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent, an industrial city best known for the Potteries, features breathtaking gardens. Emma Bridgewater’s urban garden stands out as an exceptional showcase.
Notable attractions in Alsager and Audley include their charming villages where charming cottages await. There are also multiple hiking trails nearby including Rudyard Lake for your enjoyment.
Longton Park
An idyllic park tucked into open fields and filled with plenty of room and activities for kids such as playgrounds and cafes, this lovely park was loved by both my sons – making this an excellent way to get some fresh air!
Queens Park (sometimes known as Longton Park) is a large Victorian park renowned for its trees and horticulture, including two large ponds with weirs, fountains and topiaries.
In the western half of the park is an extensive network of curving carriage rides lined by trees and broad paths that weave their way past shrubberies and lawns with formal bedding schemes, passing numerous iron benches of different designs; at their intersections are 2m high cast-iron posts bearing finger signs proclaiming them carriage drives.
Northern parts of the park are bordered by Victorian suburban housing, while its southern side is bordered by railway embankment. Queen’s Park Avenue serves as the primary entrance, featuring tall brick gate piers with main iron gates decorated with the crests of both Duke of Sutherland and Borough of Longton; additionally there are pedestrian side gates as well as two-storey lodge in Queen Anne style – originally Superintendent’s Lodge – providing pedestrian access.
Hanley District: This picturesque Victorian garden and playing field features ornamental fountains, a heritage mosaic designed by Rob Turner and sculptures by Andy Edwards and Philip Hardaker, plus playground, sports court and football pitches, making it suitable for all ages.
Longton Park, designed by Sir Joseph Paxton in 1856, is Stoke-on-Trent’s second largest park and an oasis for walking and relaxing, featuring several historic structures like its bandstand, terrace gardens, and Longton Lake. A popular picnic location and bird-watching spot; also accessible via bus from central city area with parking available nearby as well as numerous restaurants and pubs nearby.
Trentham Estate
Trentham Estate is a world-class tourist attraction on the southern edge of Stoke-on-Trent, covering 725 acres and boasting breathtaking gardens and parklands. They include an exquisite contemporary revival of an historic garden as well as an inviting mile long lake and ancient woodlands. Additionally, its diverse landscape boasts planting styles ranging from 18th century landscape designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s grand Italianate parterres to contemporary Floral Prairies (Floral Plains) as well as numerous lawns for you to relax on.
Trentham Gardens and Parks were one of the first major redevelopment projects undertaken since their purchase by St Modwen Properties in 1996, being restored to their former glory and also receiving extensive new garden investments aimed at enriching visitors’ experience at Trentham Estate.
Visitors to the estate now enjoy an amazingly diverse and beautiful set of gardens that change with each season. The upper flower garden boasts a 4ha parterre with fountains, topiary, and bold contemporary planting scheme designed by Tom Stuart-Smith who won gold at Chelsea Flower Show for designing a tulip garden on this estate in 2005.
Nigel Dunnett created another important project with the establishment of a vast naturalistic meadow designed by him which covers 21,000 sq metres. Now in its third year, this vast landscape connects Capability Brown’s lake to wider parkland by way of naturalistic plantings that form one large chain linkage system.
Trentham Gardens have something for all visitors to enjoy and are an excellent spot for leisurely walks, family outings or simply to unwind and unwind in peace and tranquility. Additionally, Trentham hosts numerous talks and demonstrations throughout the year for those wanting to learn more about its gardens or parkland.
Other attractions at Trentham Gardens include a children’s adventure playground, hide and speak mazes (one is UK’s longest hedge maze), treetop challenge course and unique shop selling gardening equipment and gifts. There’s also a 119 bedroom Premier Inn hotel on site as well as Trentham Monkey Forest to visit!
Within the grounds, there are various cafes and restaurants, from Frankie & Bennies to Willow by Paragon. The Italian Garden tearoom provides an ideal place for rest and rejuvenation with scenic views of both gardens and lake.
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is one of four local authority museums in Stoke-on-Trent and boasts collections that bring together all of the identities that come together to form what has come to be known as The Potteries. It houses Designated Collections such as fine and decorative arts, costume, local history, archaeology, natural science as well as one of the world’s greatest collections of Staffordshire ceramics by R J Mitchell from nearby Butt Lane. Furthermore, it houses one Supermarine Spitfire designed by R J Mitchell from WWII; another Supermarine Spitfire designed by R J Mitchell from nearby Butt Lane!
Geology collections at the museum are particularly impressive with around 12,000 rocks, minerals and fossils on display. There are numerous specimens from Carboniferous Coal Measures as well as significant collections from Triassic and later periods. Furthermore, the museum inherited approximately 2000 samples from Staffordshire University’s former Geology department which are being integrated into permanent displays.
Modern and contemporary art collection at the museum reflects the region’s long tradition of ceramics production with works by artists such as Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew, Carol McNicoll and Jacqueline Poncelet; there are also pieces by Grayson Perry and Sarah Lucas.
Visitors looking to experience more Stoke-on-Trent culture will find themselves within walking distance of the city centre. Here they’ll find AirSpace Gallery with its contemporary art exhibitions, and intu Potteries shopping centre offering stores such as H&M, Primark and Lush.
The museum hosts events throughout the year, from family activities to themed evenings. There is also a cafe and Foyer Shop selling unique quality gifts. For formal bookings there is the Forum Theatre with capacity for 300 delegates; its acoustics are excellent and all technical equipment necessary is available onsite for use during events held there. Parking can be found for free on Lichfield Street, John Street Multi Storeys and Meigh Street Multi Storeys and there is free parking at Lichfield Street Multi Storey and Meigh Street Multi Storey; public transport options include bus 23& 24A which run regularly from their bus station on High Street straight into the museum – also nearby lies Bethesda Street where taxi ranks can also be found if required!
The Gladstone Pottery Museum
Gladstone Pottery Museum is a working museum of a medium sized coal-fired pottery, typical of those once found throughout North Staffordshire in England from the industrial revolution to mid-20th century. The site includes original workshops, monumental bottle ovens and cobbled yards recreated to recreate an experience from over one hundred years ago; additionally skilled potters demonstrate pottery throwing, casting and bone china flower making on an ongoing basis.
The museum provides an intriguing window into the rich past of Chicago. It honors past generations’ creativity and craftsmanship while inspiring younger ones to carry forward this legacy industry. Visitors can explore exhibits, attend events and activities, or simply soak up its atmosphere – an invaluable experience that visitors won’t soon forget!
Gladstone Pottery Museum can easily be reached via train from Longton Railway Station. Simply walk southeast for approximately 10 minutes from there until reaching its location – Tuesday through Saturday morning through late afternoon opening times require an entrance fee to enter this establishment.
The Gladstone Pottery Museum boasts an extensive collection of ceramics spanning from the 18th to 20th centuries, and provides an excellent way to learn about British pottery history as it was manufactured in Stoke-on-Trent. Furthermore, workshops at this venue teach pottery-making techniques – making this museum an excellent family outing!
Stoke-on-Trent is well-known for its ceramics industry and boasts an abundance of heritage. Many historic factories have been transformed into museums that offer exhibits relating to decorative arts, applied arts, social history and technology; serving as great resources of information about its past as well as providing insight into culture of those who lived there.
Cultural institutions in Stoke-on-Trent are facing a funding crisis. Stoke-on-Trent Council announced plans to cut 19 full-time and 5.5 part-time roles, including two ceramics curators. It’s essential that museums and galleries remain part of local culture and heritage; citizens take pride in supporting their preservation.
