Potterspury Pottery Day

We are delighted to be one of the contributors to Northampton Museum's History of Northamptonshire in 100 Objects Exhibition.

A pot from Potterspury was an obvious submission: there is only one Potterspury in the entire world and the village name appears to have changed in the 12th century to reflect the thriving pottery trade that existed in the village for more than five centuries.

On 11 October 2025 Potterspury Pottery Day celebrated the village's legacy of medieval pottery production with a display of pots and sherd from the kilns that were situated around the village across five centuries. We were delighted that so many local residents of all ages came to join in and enjoy the day.

PODCAST

Few intact pots survive and this rare example was was unearthed by the Ladd family in 1974 during the construction of a house. Follow this link to hear Steve Parkin's interview with John Griff about the remarkable story of the pot from Potterspury.

EXHIBITION INFORMATION BOADS

The information from the displays, detailing the importance of Potterspury ware, the location of the kilns around the village and the stories behind some of the excavations, can be downloaded here as a PDF file.

AWARD WINNERS

In the spring of 2026 we entered the Excell Heritage Awards run by Milton Keynes Heritage Association and were delighted to be named the winners. In the citation, we were praised for 'this excellent self-funded local history initiative, successfully engaging with the local community'. It's a tribute to everyone who contributed to the day - thank you to John Hellins Primary School and Potterspury Village Hall for their support, to Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and to all of our visitors.

IMAGE GALLERY