A Potted History: One Hundred Years of British Ceramics Tour

Ceramics are one of the most popular types of decorative art and play an important role in the story of British art history. From the industrial revolution, which gave rise to the first designers such as Christopher Dresser and William De Morgan, to the highly-influential ‘studio pottery’ movement of more recent decades, British ceramics have continued to push the boundaries of what constitutes craft, decoration and fine art. The North East is home to some of the most important collections of British ceramics including the only dedicated ceramics research centre in the country, CoCA in York. Join lecturer Dr Maddie Hewitson to discover more about these beautiful objects and their makers. 

ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrivals
Arrive independently at the Middletons Hotel, York from 15.00. Welcome reception, private dinner with wine and an illustrated lecture by expert Dr Maddie Hewitson: ‘The First Designer: Christopher Dresser and the rise of Victorian ceramics’.

Day 2: Cannon Hall and Centre for Ceramic Arts (CoCA) at York Art Gallery
The day will start at Cannon Hall in Barnsley which houses a comphrehensive collection of nineteenth-century ceramics by artists such as the Martin Brothers, William De Morgan and Burmantofts. As well as ceramics, there are other Victorian decorative arts treasures to enjoy in this beautiful south Yorkshire setting. We will return to York for the afternoon, home to the only dedicated ceramics research centre in the country as well as a great historical city with pots dating back to Roman times. We will visit York Art Gallery to see the incredible Centre for Ceramic Arts (CoCA) which holds the finest collection of twentieth-century studio pottery outside London. Additionally, we will see the bequests of several important ceramic collectors including WA Ismay and Anthony Shaw as well as the gallery’s paintings collection. In the evening, there will be a lecture by Dr Maddie Hewitson titled ‘The Studio Pottery Movement: Form, Status and Design’ followed by dinner.

Day 3: Dorman Museum and MIMA
In the morning, we will travel to Middlesbrough, one of the great steel producing cities of the Industrial Revolution as well as the former home of Linthorpe Art Pottery. We will drive past the former site of Sun Brick Works pottery studio as well as other Victorian features such as the former synagogue and Albert Park, which opened in 1868. Christopher Dresser designed over 1,000 pots for Linthorpe and we will see one of the most significant collections of Dresser pottery worldwide at the Dorman Museum. After time for lunch (not included) we will visit MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art), a contemporary art gallery founded in 2007. MIMA holds important ceramics collections including works by Lucie Rie, Magdalena Odundo and Hans Coper.

NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion

Please note: Post tour extra nights are available at a supplement.

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 40 passengers.

Tour Grading: This tour has been graded as moderate due to the amount of walking and standing for viewing at each attraction. For further information, please visit the mobility page on our website, or call our team. 

INCLUDED

• Two nights' bed and breakfast at the four-star Middletons Hotel, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
• Welcome reception
• First night private three-course dinner with wine
• Second night dinner at the hotel
• Two lectures 
• Tours and admissions as per the itinerary
• Coach touring as per the itinerary
• Tour lecturer Maddie Hewitson throughout
• Tour manager throughout 

NOT INCLUDED

• Transport to the hotel is not included
• Double for sole use supplement -£135
• Extra nights on bed and breakfast basis
• Holiday insurance
• Meals other than those stated
• Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
• Porterage and gratuities 

HOTELS

Middletons Hotel, York

Four star hotel located near York Minster, the Middletons Hotel offers a bar, restaurant, fitness centre, and comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities including TV, WIFI, hairdryer, and tea and coffee making facilities.

Car parking for 29 vehicles is available at the hotel on a first come, first served basis. There are also pay and display council carparks near to the hotel:
Nunnery Lane Car Park, and St George’s Field Car Park, are both 5 minutes walk to the hotel.
Hotel Website

MORE INFO

Your Host and Guide: 
Madeline Hewitson is a research associate in the History of Art department at the University of York where she also completed her PhD. Maddie specialises in British art post-1850 and has contributed to a number of British art exhibitions at museums such as the Hepworth Wakefield, York Art Gallery and Nunnington Hall. She is an active researcher in addition to lecturing and teaching across the UK, as well as leading the Travel Editions’ 20^th Century Art in Yorkshire tours for the past 7 years.

Please note that all our UK tours start and finish at the relevant hotel.  

You can normally check in from 3pm onwards but hotels will always be happy to store your luggage if you arrive earlier in the day. 

For full details of how to get to the hotel, directions and the nearest train station, please click on the hotel website or call our office for details. These will also be sent automatically with your confirmation. 

The welcome reception and first evening dinner / talk will commence at about 6pm - full details will be sent with your joining instructions about 10 days prior to the arrival date.