The 'Etruria' name

When Josiah Wedgwood purchased the land for his new pottery in the late 1760s, there was no place called Etruria. The site lay in open countryside between Burslem, Hanley and Shelton, an area of fields, small farms and scattered cottages with no recognised settlement.

Wedgwood chose the name Etruria in honour of the ancient civilisation of Etruria (modern Tuscany in Italy), whose finely decorated pottery and artistic achievements had inspired eighteenth-century collectors and designers. Classical Etruscan vases were widely admired throughout Europe, and Wedgwood himself studied their forms and decoration when developing many of his own ornamental wares.

The new pottery soon became known as the Etruria Works, while the surrounding estate, hall and growing industrial community adopted the same name. Over time, Etruria entered everyday use and eventually became the recognised name of the district that still exists today.

Why a new Pottery Factory?

By the mid-1760s, Josiah Wedgwood had transformed his small independent pottery at the Brick House Works into one of the most successful ceramic businesses in Britain. Demand for his cream-coloured earthenware was increasing rapidly, new ornamental wares were under development, and orders were arriving from customers throughout Britain and overseas. Although the Brick House Works had served him well, the site had become increasingly cramped and offered little room for further expansion.

• Wedgwood's ambitions extended far beyond simply enlarging his existing pottery. He envisaged a purpose-built manufactory where every stage of production could be organised for maximum efficiency, supported by improved transport links, scientific experimentation and a skilled workforce. 

• The proposed Trent & Mersey Canal, which would pass close to his chosen site, offered the opportunity to reduce transport costs, improve the supply of raw materials and safely distribute fragile finished wares across the country.

• Rather than adapting an existing works, Wedgwood decided to create an entirely new pottery from the ground up. The result would be the Etruria Works—one of the most advanced industrial potteries of the eighteenth century and a model for modern factory organisation.

In 1767 Wedgwood purchased the Ridge House Estate for £3,000—a substantial investment that reflected both his growing prosperity and his confidence in the future. Rather than buying land solely for a new pottery, he acquired an entire estate that provided space for a factory, a family home, workers' housing and the proposed route of the Grand Trunk Canal.

Although the site was largely open countryside when construction began, it lay within easy walking distance of Burslem, Shelton and Hanley. Many of Wedgwood's existing workforce are likely to have transferred from the Brick House Works, making the move to Etruria without leaving their homes.

The Grand Trunk Canal

One of the most important factors influencing Josiah Wedgwood's decision to build the Etruria Works was the proposed Grand Trunk Canal, later known as the Trent & Mersey Canal. 

During the eighteenth century roads in North Staffordshire were often little more than rough tracks, making the transport of fragile pottery slow, expensive and hazardous. Breakages were common, while the movement of bulky raw materials such as clay, flint and coal added significantly to production costs.

• Wedgwood recognised that inland waterways offered a far more efficient alternative. As an energetic supporter of the Trent & Mersey Canal, he became one of its principal promoters, investing both time and money in the scheme. 

• He worked closely with the canal engineer James Brindley, giving evidence before Parliament in support of the project and arguing that improved transport would benefit not only the pottery industry but also British manufacturing as a whole.

• When selecting the site for his new pottery, Wedgwood deliberately chose land through which the canal would pass. The Etruria Works was planned with its own wharves and loading facilities, enabling raw materials to be delivered directly to the factory and finished wares to be shipped safely to ports such as Hull and Liverpool before being exported throughout Britain, Europe and beyond.

• The canal transformed the economics of pottery manufacture. It reduced transport costs, minimised damage to delicate wares and gave Wedgwood reliable access to national and international markets. The success of the Etruria Works was therefore closely linked to the success of the Trent & Mersey Canal, making transport as important to Wedgwood's vision as the pottery itself.

The Move from Burslem to the New Etruria Works 

Although the Etruria Works began production in 1769, the transfer from the Brick House Works was gradual. Wedgwood continued to use both potteries for several years while buildings were completed, kilns commissioned and production transferred in stages. 
Following notice to quit the Brick House premises in November 1769, the move gathered pace, but the relocation was not fully completed until 1772.

Views of the Etruria works

The Move to Barlaston 

By the early twentieth century, the Etruria Works faced increasing challenges. Although the factory had been enlarged and modernised many times since its opening in 1769, its original eighteenth-century layout made further expansion difficult. The closely packed buildings, narrow courtyards and ageing infrastructure were unsuited to the larger machinery and more efficient production methods required by modern ceramic manufacture.

In 1938 the company began constructing a new factory at Barlaston, designed to provide spacious, modern workshops with improved transport links and room for future expansion. During the Second World War, production was gradually transferred from Etruria, and by 1940 the new works had become the principal manufacturing centre of the Wedgwood business.

Parts of the Etruria Works continued to be used for storage and specialist operations for some years, but much of the historic factory was eventually demolished. Today only a single building survives, providing a reminder of the pottery that transformed the British ceramics industry and established Wedgwood as one of the world's leading manufacturers.

Page History:

• Page created: 2 September 2007

• Last updated: 31 August 2026 - Completely revised and expanded page.