Museums & Galleries · Matlock
Sharpe's Pottery Museum
📍 DE11 9SP
Photo: Dave Bevis (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- Grade II listed Bottle Kiln believed to be oldest surviving sanitary pottery works
- Learn about the Sharpe's family toilet invention
- Displays spanning toilets, teapots, tiles and Toby jugs
- Programme of events including workshops, markets, music and comedy
- Story of 19th century coal mining and clay extraction in the area
Sharpe's Pottery Museum sits in the market town of Swadlincote, in South Derbyshire, at the heart of The National Forest. At its centre is a Grade II listed Bottle Kiln, believed to be the oldest surviving sanitary pottery works in the country, where you can explore stories of the Sharpe's family toilet invention and the area's history of coal mining and clay extraction. Displays range from toilets to teapots, tiles and Toby jugs, and the museum runs a varied events programme including craft workshops, artisan markets and music in the Kiln. It suits visitors interested in industrial heritage and local history. The museum is fully wheelchair-accessible, with on-site and nearby parking, and Burton-on-Trent station is 4.2 miles away, with 29 bookable places to stay within 5 miles.
Practical details
- Open
- Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm; closed Sunday and Monday
- Parking
- On-site spaces for up to 5 vehicles, plus nearby free car parks
- Accessibility
- Fully wheelchair-accessible with assistance available if required
- Booking
- Nearest train station is Burton-on-Trent, 4.2 miles away
From the attraction's own website on 22 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Cafe
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Disabled Access
- ✓ Gift Shop
- ✓ Guided Tours
- ✓ Parking
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Create a free account to claimPlaces to stay near Sharpe's Pottery Museum
Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
1.7 mi
2.2 mi
Ashby Woulds Retreat
Overseal, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Central England
Sleeps 6
£415 per break
Check availability
2.2 mi
Ashby Woulds Lodges and Spa
Overseal, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Central England
Sleeps 6
£359 per break
Check availability
2.2 mi
2.3 mi
2.3 mi
🎪 What's on near Sharpe's Pottery Museum
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Skiddle
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🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Sharpe's Pottery Museum into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
A weekend in Matlock: an accessible itinerary →
A weekend in Matlock with the kids →
A weekend in Matlock →
🗺️ Plan the drive to Sharpe's Pottery Museum
🚆 Or come by train
- Burton-On-Trent 4.2 miles
- Willington 5.6 miles
- Tutbury & Hatton 8.1 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page