Burslem College of Art
The Wedgewood Institute
Burslem Collage of Art
Queen St, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 3EG
Starting with my personal Favorite The Wedgwood Institute in Burslem. This building looks amazing and pays serious homage to the one and only yes you guessed it, Josiah Wedgwood. What you might not know is that this building was designed and built by the farther of Rudyard Kipling, J Lockwood Kipling and his partner Robert Edar. Built on the site of one of Wedgwoods earliest pot banks, construction started in 1863 with the foundation stone laid by soon to be prime minister William Gladstone.
The building is two stories and has a decorative façade covered in amazing tiles, decorative friezes and terracotta panels depicting each of the 12 months of the year. In addition to this and above the terracotta panels are detailed mosaics representing the zodiac signs. This is all of course topped off with an almost life size bust of Josiah Wedgwood himself after whom the building is name. A true special to behold and a real gem.