Jackfield Tile Museum
Encyclopedia
The Jackfield Tile Museum is one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums based in the village of Jackfield
on the south bank of the River Severn
in the Ironbridge Gorge
, in Shropshire
, England
. It is located within a World Heritage Site
, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution
.
The museum is housed in a decorative tile
factory building, the former works of Craven Dunnill
and Company, that is still used to produce tiles. It presents the history of the British
decorative tile industry between 1840 and 1960, the period in which this factory and that of Maw & Co nearby played an important part in this industry.
Jackfield is one of the oldest known ceramic production centres in Shropshire, a tradition dating back to the 16th century. The Thursfield family settled in Jackfield during the early 18th century; Jackfield wares are attributed to the family.
Craven Dunnill gave up its Jackfield works in the early 1950s, moving to Bridgnorth
, and the buildings were used by a firm making iron and bronze castings. In 1983, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
purchased the works with the aid of an Architectural Heritage Fund
grant. In 1989, tile manufacture restarted on the site and in 2001 Craven Dunnill took over this business again.
The collections include William de Morgan
and other historic tilers.
Jackfield
Jackfield is a village in Shropshire, England, bordering the small town of Broseley.-Location:It lies on the south bank of the River Severn, in the Ironbridge Gorge, and opposite the village of Coalport...
on the south bank of the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
in the Ironbridge Gorge
Ironbridge Gorge
The Ironbridge Gorge is a deep gorge formed by the River Severn in Shropshire, England.Originally called the Severn Gorge, the gorge now takes its name from its famous Iron Bridge, the first iron bridge of its kind in the world, and a monument to the industry that began there...
, in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located within a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
.
The museum is housed in a decorative tile
Tile
A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
factory building, the former works of Craven Dunnill
Craven Dunnill
Craven Dunnill & Co. Ltd. was formed on 9 February 1872, by Yorkshire businessman Henry Powell Dunnill , at Jackfield, Shropshire, England...
and Company, that is still used to produce tiles. It presents the history of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
decorative tile industry between 1840 and 1960, the period in which this factory and that of Maw & Co nearby played an important part in this industry.
Jackfield is one of the oldest known ceramic production centres in Shropshire, a tradition dating back to the 16th century. The Thursfield family settled in Jackfield during the early 18th century; Jackfield wares are attributed to the family.
Craven Dunnill gave up its Jackfield works in the early 1950s, moving to Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. It is split into Low Town and High Town, named on account of their elevations relative to the River Severn, which separates the upper town on the right bank from the lower on the left...
, and the buildings were used by a firm making iron and bronze castings. In 1983, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust is an industrial heritage organisation which runs ten museums and manages 35 historic sites within the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, England, widely considered as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution....
purchased the works with the aid of an Architectural Heritage Fund
Architectural Heritage Fund
The Architectural Heritage Fund is a registered charity founded in 1976 to promote the conservation of historic buildings in the United Kingdom. It provides information, advice and finance to Building Preservation Trusts and other charities in the U.K..-Scope:In order to apply for finance,...
grant. In 1989, tile manufacture restarted on the site and in 2001 Craven Dunnill took over this business again.
The collections include William de Morgan
William De Morgan
William Frend De Morgan was an English potter and tile designer. A lifelong friend of William Morris, he designed tiles, stained glass and furniture for Morris & Co. from 1863 to 1872. His tiles are often based on medieval designs or Persian patterns, and he experimented with innovative glazes and...
and other historic tilers.