The Middleport Pottery of Burgess and Leigh (opened 1888)  

The remaining bottle kiln

 

Location 4 on the index diagram

In the heyday of the pottery industry there were up to 4,000 bottle kilns in Stoke-on-Trent with as many as 2,000 still standing in the 1950's. The Clean Air Act sounded the death-knell for the smoky, coal fired oven. There are 46 still standing today - most are listed buildings.

Of the original coal fired kilns this one remains, it survived because part of the kiln forms the wall of the factory.

[ on bottle kilns]

The outer part, which is bottle shaped is known as the HOVEL. 

A HOVEL can be up to seventy feet tall.
The HOVEL acts as a chimney; taking away the smoke, 
creating draught and protecting the oven inside 
from the weather and uneven draughts.

The inner part is the kin proper. 
It is a round structure with a domed roof, the CROWN, 
and its wall are approximately one foot thick. 
Iron bands known as BONTS, set about twelve inches apart, 
run right round the circular oven to strengthen it 
as it expands and contracts during the firing.

Previous is the view of the mangle (drying tower)
Next is the flint and feldspar used in pottery manufacture. 

questions/comments/contributions? email: Steve Birks