Inside Spode's China Terrace: Save the History or Redevelop?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มิ.ย. 2024
- I visited the Spode Works in Stoke and had the chance to film inside the China Terrace building which is part of the listed North West Courtyard on the site. Should this history be saved or knocked down and redeveloped? The courtyard incudes the remains of one Biscuit Firing China Pottery Kiln, when there used to be 2. These kilns are featured as viewed from the Terrace building. Spode had 24 bottle kilns or ovens in total.
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After entering the site from Church Street, to the left (north) is the so-called `China Bank' courtyard. A four storey range, which was used as a shop, stores and offices, stands to the west facing east onto the courtyard. It is constructed of brick under a slate roof with three truncated stacks. It is single depth and built on an undercroft, possibly the foundations of the building which formerly stood on the site, which is slightly deeper and contains examples of Copeland tiles which are fixed on built-in benches within the undercroft. The building was originally three stories with a fourth storey added later in the C19. As originally built, the building was symmetrical with a regular pattern of windows and doors under segmental arches at ground floor which was repeated at first and second floor. The third floor which was added is taller with a series of nine tall three light top hung paned casements. As originally constructed the building was fireproofed to all floors (jack-arched construction is still in situ).
The building has been extended to the north on a diagonal to connect it with an earlier range on the north west side of the courtyard. This extension is also of three stories under an apparently flat or shallow pitched roof. It has a door and window at ground floor level and paired windows under segmental arches at first and second floor. A single tall three light window on the third floor is similar to those on the main range of the warehouse. The building to which it is attached is of two storeys, constructed of brick under a slate roof. It is of seven bays and curves to join the showrooms to the east via a carriage arch. It has a series of six over six pane sliding sash windows under stone lintels, set within recessed blind arches separated by brick pilasters; all over a brick pediment defined by a projecting string. The first floor windows are recessed four over eight pane sashes with stone lintels set on a continuous projecting string. This range has a delicately moulded eaves cornice.
Some internal detailing survives including a stone stair (thought to have originally been an external stair) within the three storey extension and some ceiling roses, cornicing and joinery. The well-known Spode Museum was housed within the building. This incorporated a number of free-standing and fixed display cabinets showcasing part of the extensive Spode collection.
Adjoining the southern end of the building is the base of a bottle kiln: the only visible reminder of this essential component of a pottery works. Constructed of brick it stands to only about 20 courses and comprises only the internal structure; the brick hovel, the iconic bottle-shaped cover and neck, has gone. It retains two rows of iron bands, or bonts, and a series of brick arched firemouths.
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An interesting video for me as I'm interested in the very origins of the site. The China Terrace you reveal as being built in 1830 but I'm looking for the original part dating back before 1762 which was described in a book as still standing but the book does date back into the 1800's. I have also read of paperwork where this original site of the John Turner & R Bankes pottery was sold to Josiah. If anything still survives it would be the oldest part of the Spode Works.
I look at the collapsed kiln and wonder just how old it was. Could it be the original kiln that would date back to 1750?
Hi Robert Good luck with your research. I have a number of other videos to publish from my day at Spode so look out for these. My general impression is that the configuration of buildings on the site changed regularly. Adding an extra floor or taking off an upper floor or demolishing a building happened frequently. The cellars beneath the terrace, to which I did not have access, may have been the cellars for an earlier building. What is left of the kiln tells me that it was a later construction, as potters had to deal with new smoke pollution legislation. But you would expect the later kilns to be built on the site of earlier kilns so I would not like to guess which were earlier than others.
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It's been over 20 years since I came across the information on John Turners original factory at Stoke. I have been unable to establish if it was owned outright by John Turner or in partnership with Richard Banks/Bankes/Bancks. Other information revealed his partners first name was actually William. Since research has failed to find a potter named Richard or William Banks I can only believe that he was some kind of a salesman and not a potter as many authors claim. No work of that time was marked but I believe that white salt glaze stoneware was produced in the style of his previous master Daniel Bird.
Both of the earliest pieces identified were one off comission pieces and they continued to be made at the Lane End factory. This I believe earned John Turner sufficient money to build his Lane End factory just 10 years later which evolved into a medium sized pottery.
It is known that Josiah Spode worked for Turner in the factory shortly before John Turner left for Lane End. Josiah became head potter for Banks. My research turned up a legal document regarding the sale of the Stoke works around 1760/1763 by memory so I can't be sure.
According to Bevis Hillier in his book on the Turners, in 1775 Banks sold the factory to Jeremiah Smith of Great Fenton. His son John Smith married John Turner's youngest daughter Elizabeth. Jeremiah Smith sold the Stoke factory to Josiah Spode 29 February 1776.
There are two photographs of the old works in Aurhur Hayden's 'Spode and his Successors' (1925). By then they were demolished but were still standing in 1879 when Henry Wedgwood wrote "The site of the (Turner)manufactory is now coveredby the large works of Messrs Copeland. However, the little place has only been incorporated, and may still be seen as complete, with it's square & workshops, as when it stood once in the open, and is now devoted to the printing department.
Should this 1830's industrial building be saved as it is or redeveloped or knocked down completely? Like if you think it should be saved? Thumbs down if it should be demolished.
Thanks for posting this David. Where did all the Spode museum collections go please?
@@charlieseakins7915 Hi Charlie The collections are all in the hands of the Spode Museums Trust. They are not yet all on display again but they have been very busy in recent months reconfiguring various rooms in the Visitor Centre so I would expect something resembling a new museum to come out of this work.