Etruria Industrial Museum
Step into the world’s only working steam-powered potter’s mill, where Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial heart beats on at the Etruria Industrial Museum.
Nestled at the junction of the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canals in Stoke-on-Trent, the Etruria Industrial Museum preserves Jesse Shirley’s 1857 Bone and Flint Mill, the world’s only operational steam-powered potter’s mill. Housed in a Grade II* listed building and designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the site offers a vivid window into the region’s industrial past. Visitors explore the restored mill, see the working steam engine ‘Princess’, and learn how bone and flint were processed for the pottery industry. The museum also includes a working forge, canal warehouse, check office, and the site of Stoke-on-Trent’s first public hospital, all maintained by dedicated volunteers.
A brief summary to Etruria Industrial Museum
- Etruria Vale Rd, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4RB, GB
- +447900267711
- Visit website
- Duration: 1 to 3 hours
- Budget
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Mixed
- Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
- Friday 11 am-3:30 pm
Local tips
- Check the museum’s schedule in advance and aim to visit on a steaming day when the ‘Princess’ engine is running; the sight and sound of the beam engine in action is the highlight of any visit.
- Allow extra time to read the detailed information boards and explore the surrounding canal structures, including the warehouse, check office and staircase lock, to fully appreciate the site’s industrial and transport history.
- Combine your visit with a walk along the Trent and Mersey or Caldon Canal; the peaceful towpaths offer a scenic contrast to the industrial setting and are perfect for a short stroll or picnic.
For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you
- Restrooms
- Drink Options
- Food Options
- Seating Areas
- Information Boards
Getting There
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Public Transport
From Stoke-on-Trent town centre, take a local bus towards Etruria; the journey takes about 15–20 minutes. Alight near Etruria Vale Road and walk a few minutes to the museum entrance on the canal side. Service frequency varies, so check local timetables in advance.
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Car
Drive to Etruria Vale Road in Stoke-on-Trent; the museum has a small on-site car park. The journey from the city centre takes roughly 10–15 minutes depending on traffic. Parking is limited, so arrive early on busy event days.
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Walking
From Hanley or Etruria town centre, follow the canal towpath or local streets to the museum; the walk takes about 20–30 minutes on flat, paved paths. The route is well signed and suitable for most walkers.
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Cycling
Cycle along the Trent and Mersey or Caldon Canal towpaths to reach the museum; the ride from Stoke-on-Trent or Hanley takes 20–40 minutes on mostly traffic-free paths. Bike racks are available near the entrance.
Etruria Industrial Museum location weather suitability
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Any Weather
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Mild Temperatures
Discover more about Etruria Industrial Museum
Heart of the Potteries’ Industrial Past
Standing at the historic junction of the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canals, the Etruria Industrial Museum occupies a site that has pulsed with industry since the late 18th century. Originally home to Ball’s dye works, the location later became a vital bone and flint processing centre for the pottery industry. In 1857, Jesse Shirley built his Bone and Flint Mill here, a steam-powered facility that supplied ground bone, flint and Cornish stone to potteries across the region. This mill, now the museum’s centrepiece, is recognised as the world’s only operational steam-powered potter’s mill, a rare survivor of the industrial revolution that shaped Stoke-on-Trent as the ‘Potteries’. The site’s canal-side position was no accident: the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canals, opened in the 1770s, provided cheap, reliable transport for heavy raw materials and finished goods. Etruria Wharf, now the museum car park, once bustled with boats and a horse-drawn tramway that carried goods up to Hanley. The museum’s location at this canal junction underscores how water transport underpinned the area’s industrial success, linking local factories to national markets.A Working Steam-Powered Mill
The star of the museum is Jesse Shirley’s 1857 Bone and Flint Mill, a two-storey Grade II* listed building that still stands largely as it did when built. Inside, visitors encounter the machinery that ground bone and flint into fine powder for bone china and other ceramics. The process revolutionised pottery production, reducing dust and improving consistency, and helped cement Stoke-on-Trent’s global reputation for fine ceramics. At the heart of the mill is the steam engine ‘Princess’, a double-acting condensing rotative beam engine based on James Watt’s design, thought to have been built in the 1820s. Purchased second-hand for the mill, ‘Princess’ is fired up on special steaming days, offering a powerful, immersive experience of Victorian engineering. When in steam, the engine drives the mill’s machinery, bringing to life the sights, sounds and rhythms of a 19th-century industrial workplace. Even when not operating, the engine and surrounding gear trains, shafts and pulleys provide a compelling insight into the mechanics of steam power.Canal Heritage and Industrial Landscape
Beyond the mill, the museum site preserves a rich tapestry of canal and industrial heritage. The adjacent canal warehouse and check office once handled goods and tolls for the canal company, while the gauging dock was used to measure boat cargoes. The summit lock of the Trent and Mersey Canal and Staffordshire’s only staircase lock are nearby, highlighting the engineering ingenuity that made the canal network so effective. The site also includes a working forge and the remains of an early gas works, illustrating the diversity of industries that once clustered around the canals. Opposite the visitor centre stands a statue of James Brindley, the pioneering canal engineer whose vision helped create the waterways that transformed the region’s economy. Together, these elements create a layered industrial landscape where visitors can trace the evolution of transport, energy and manufacturing over more than two centuries.From Hospital to Heritage Site
The museum grounds also encompass the site of the Dispensary and House of Recovery, opened in 1804 as the first public hospital in what would become Stoke-on-Trent. This eleven-bed fever ward later expanded to admit general and accident patients, forming an early infirmary that served the growing industrial population. The hospital’s story adds a human dimension to the site, reminding visitors that behind the machinery and canals were communities whose health and welfare were shaped by industrial change. After the mill ceased commercial operation in 1972, the site faced an uncertain future. In 1975 it was designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and the buildings were listed Grade II*. Restoration began in 1978 under the guidance of Stoke-on-Trent Museum’s Keeper of Social History, with volunteers working to return the mill and engine to working order. The museum officially opened to the public in 1991, with the famous steeplejack Fred Dibnah performing the opening ceremony, symbolising a celebration of industrial heritage and community effort.Visiting the Museum Today
Today, the Etruria Industrial Museum is run entirely by volunteers who maintain the buildings, machinery and exhibits. Inside the modern entrance building and the restored mill, visitors find displays on the history of the site, the Shirley family, and the processes of bone and flint grinding. Information boards and models explain how the mill operated and its role in the pottery industry, while the working forge and canal structures offer additional points of interest. The museum is open on select days, with special steaming events when ‘Princess’ is in operation, providing a particularly vivid experience of steam power in action. The canal-side setting invites peaceful walks and picnics, and the site occasionally hosts art fairs and community events in its historic warehouse spaces. For those interested in industrial archaeology, engineering history or the story of the Potteries, the Etruria Industrial Museum offers an authentic, hands-on encounter with a defining chapter of Britain’s industrial past.Iconic landmarks you can’t miss
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For the vibe & atmosphere seeker
- Relaxing
- Tranquil
- Scenic
- Historic
- Unique
For the design and aesthetic lover
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- Vintage Styles
For the architecture buff
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For the view chaser and sunset hunter
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For the social media creator & influencer
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For the eco-conscious traveler
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For the kind of experience you’re after
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For how adventurous you want the journey to be
- Easy Access
Location Audience
- Family Friendly
- Senior Friendly
- Child Friendly
- Teen Friendly
- Wheelchair Access
- Solo Friendly
- Couple Friendly
- Vegetarian Friendly
- Vegan Friendly
