Interestingly, there appears to be a few Falcon Pottery factories within the area, one in Stoke, one in Longton, and one in Hanley. Despite sharing the same (Falcon) name, they appear to not be connected in any other way.
The Falcon Works factory is across from The Church, a beautiful bar and restaurant that is set in the quirky setting of an actual old church.
Clambering through a hole in the wall and onto an old oven, I made my way through the the remainder of what is left of a great building with a strong stance in the local pottery industry.
From what my research has enabled me to discover, it would seem that this particular factory was opened up in 1892, in order to support the growing expansion and popularity that the earthenware had gained. There was an original, much smaller, factory in Tunstall in the year prior.
This particular earthenware is recognised by the stamp of the name 'J H W & Sons' or simple 'Weatherby'. Over the years, the pottery gained a lot of recognition - but what else can be expected from a factory that is indeed based in the essential capital of pottery making (The Potteries). However, come to the year 2000, and the demand for the earthenware had diminished. This was the year that marked the closing down of the factory, and the manufacturing of this particular earthenware. Despite this, the pottery still remains a classic sought out by historians and collectors, and as a result some of the pottery can in fact be found on ebay.
The actual site has been left in a state of decay, with the roof falling through, and shattered pottery littering the ground and blocking up staircases. Though, I didn't get a chance to photograph it, the kiln, that once played a pragmatic part to the running of the factory, is a listed building.
On entering the building, I was hit with the sight of graffiti covered walls. Carefully watching my step, I progressed through the doors that led into open spaces, full of historical wonder.
Venturing towards the outside, on the way to seek out a way to get to the first floor, the scenery was awash with shattered pottery. It was an interesting notion to ponder what it would have been like for the hundreds of workers that had walked the same route, and marched up those stairs. It's absolutely remarkable to just be so aware of the history that the building hosts memories of, and how it has helped play a part in the present day.
We made it all the way to a second floor, before deciding to go back, and get out of there. Needless to say, such a historical building comes with it's own element of excitement. The slightest creak, or blowing of wind can certainly make one freak out. It's not only an academically thrilling venture, but also an adrenaline inducing activity. Luckily, there were no Weeping Angels in sight, and I did not have the thrill of becoming a Sally Sparrow, but still it was intriguing none the less!
Later on, a venture into Newcastle via Burslem was had. I found this particular piece of Graffiti enticing. Sadly, however, this particular building was inaccessible.
(Edit: This entry is seeming to get a lot of traffic - feel free to leave a comment below!)
I really liked this, have you done much urban exploring before?
ReplyDeleteHaha! I loved the Doctor Who reference lol
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