Trent and Mersey Canal and Stoke-On-Trent Musuem

Friday, June 26th, we woke up to rain.  Martin had the mechanic coming to fix the boat engine so Sue and I caught a bus into the centre of Stoke-On-Trent, about 1 and a half miles and 30 minutes by bus.  We went to see the Stoke-On-Trent Museum where there is a display of all the Potteries and their pottery and The Staffordshire Hoard is displayed also.

We spent 3 hours there, first of all at the exhibition of the Staffordshire Hoard.  This is a hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure, the largest ever found.  It was found on 5th July 2009, when a guy with a metal detector, who used it to try and unearth gold nuggets, was using it in a Staffordshire meadow.  The hoard is over 1,000 items and includes fittings from the hilts of swords, fragments of helmets, Christian crosses and magnificent pieces of garnet work, gold, silver and garnets.

Some of the hoard before and after conservation.

Various Sword fittings and Items in the Hoard.

Most of the treasure came from an area of 5 x 4 metres and was given a value of 3,285,000 pound and was bought from The Treasury by the Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent Museum.  It has taken over 5 years to analyse, catalogue, X-ray and document each piece.  We saw approx. 500 pieces.  It contains over 5.2 kgs of gold and 1.5 kgs of silver, mostly small items.

A variety of items in the Hoard.

It is dated back to 600AD approx. and was found in the heartland of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia with Lichfield, Mercia's ecclesiastical centre, only 6.5 kms away.  It is not known why it was buried and was different to any other finds as it was almost entirely of war-gear and sword hilt fittings.

Helmet fittings and a replica of the Sutton Hoo Helmet.

A gold and cloisonné garnet pommel cap off a sword.

Some Christian objects were found, usually crosses, and a series of plates and strips set with finely cut garnets. 

Christian findings.

Missing were feminine dress fittings and combs.  The gold work on the plates and strips was exceptional.

A cone, a cylinder and at the top, a disc and a strip inlaid with cloisonné garnets with inset filigree panels.

Various other items they were able to date the collection from.

It was a fascinating collection of gold and silver, unbelievable the intricacy of some of it and a real find and now in history forever.  The photos of it have been taken from the book about it as taking photos of it wasn't encouraged.

Next it was the Pottery Museum.  I could have taken photos but my camera wasn't working, my card was too full and I couldn't have used a flash.  This was a wonderful collection, so much pottery is was mind boggling.  It was a history of the Staffordshire Pottery, the way it was made and the various collections dating from 1770's to 1970's.  The main collection was Spode, Wedgewood, Milton, Turners, Wheldon etc etc, too many to remember and then later ones including Susie Cooper, Poole, Moorcroft and Royal Doulton.  It was fantastic and the variety was amazing.  One would never have guessed that so much pottery had been made over the centuries and the history of it was fascinating, especially before the 19th century. 

After 1 and a half hours of pottyery we didn't even go to the Art Gallery which also contained famous art work, we were overloaded and caught a bus back to the canal where we met up with Martin just below Etruria after having the boat fixed and going well.  We spent a restful night moored there looking at an early start in the morning.

Up early next morning, June 27th and off back down the Trent and Mersey Canal which we came up on, on the 21st June, passed Barlaston and the Wedgewood Factory, that still wasn't open, through the 4 locks at Meaford and the Lime Kiln Lock to Stone and 3 locks.

The canal and boat and old Joules Ale factory in the background near Stone.

Part of the Stone Boatyard with dry docks and the Stone locks at the right.

Stone is a canal boat and market town, has a huge marina and large boat building facilities, boatyards and dry docks. 

The Market Square in Stone.

Another street in Stone.

Stone was famous for some local scandal as well and a statue to remind people of it.

Notice on the canal near Stone.

Bridge over the canal and a statue of Christina Collins near Stone.

We took a walk around the town, up the main street and then continued on our way to the Aston Lock, mooring on the side of the canal for the night, in the middle of open country.  This area is in the middle of the Trent Valley, with hills and woods and the side of the canal once again is very picturesque.  We had travelled 15 and a half miles and through 15 locks in total, quite a busy day !!!