The Wedgwood factory at Barlaston, six miles south of Hanley, combines a working production line with one of the best ceramics museums in Britain. The museum traces Wedgwood from the 1759 founding of the company through Josiah Wedgwood's partnership with Thomas Bentley to the Jasperware and bone china that made the brand famous worldwide. The original Portland Vase replica — Wedgwood's painstaking copy of the Roman cameo glass original — is the centrepiece.
The factory tour shows decorators painting and gilding pieces by hand and gives you a sense of just how much skilled labour goes into a single tea service. There is a tearoom that serves a proper afternoon tea on Wedgwood china and a substantial shop with seconds at a discount. It is easily a half-day visit. The site is awkwardly placed for public transport — drive, or take a taxi from Stoke station.