Stoke-on-Trent pottery: Bottle oven survey fires up

Surveys involving lasers and other tech are being undertaken on Stoke-on-Trent's historic bottle ovens.

The structures, named for their shape, operated from the late 17th century until the mid-20th century and were used to fire pottery and also in the decorating process.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is looking to survey all 50 of the city's surviving bottle ovens.

The authority said it was to help inform the ovens' future conservation.

The work is being done as part of the Ceramic Heritage Action Zone project, a five-year regeneration programme focused on the city's bottle ovens and Longton Town Centre Conservation Area.

The project will record the ovens' detail through laser, special photography, scale drawings and written description, giving a greater understanding of how they were constructed and used.

The laser and photographic techniques are designed to allow for recordings of environments deemed complicated and difficult to access.

The survey began in 2019 but was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is expected to be completed this year.

Councillor Dean Richardson said: "The remaining bottle ovens in the city are a truly wonderful addition to our skyline.

"The surveys being conducted are to help preserve the legacy of the ovens, providing a lasting record of these historical structures."

The project is being delivered by the council and Historic England alongside other partners and has the assistance of Staffordshire and Liverpool John Moores universities, plus the Institute of Technology Sligo, which is undertaking 360 degree photography at a selection of sites. The University of Keele is conducting the laser survey.

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