Visit to Christchurch College and the Examinations School.
2024-09-02
Members will have an opportunity to visit Christchurch College and the Examinations School.
This visit will be in September, but the date has not yet been confirmed.
Further details and the booking information will be circulated as soon as the details of the visit have been confirmed.

Visit to Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury
2024-10-09 | Waddesdon Manor
Our members have been offered an exclusive opportunity to have a guided tour of the exhibition “Flights of Fancy: Birds at Waddesdon” with Curator, Mia Jackson.
Flights of Fancy is a rare chance for bird enthusiasts and art lovers alike to explore this beautiful subject through the remarkable displays of porcelain, paintings, drawings and prints.
This exhibition is a glamorous delight of rococo decoration, exploring the works of Louis Denis Armand, an exceptional painter of exotic birds, fictional and authentic, over nearly 40 years. Drawings by him are displayed together with a roomful of loans from private collections in Europe and the USA, bringing together and uniting pieces that have long been separated.
The bird theme continues throughout the house and grounds.

Study Day - "The Ceramics Trade of Georgian Liverpool: Manufacturers and Merchants"
2024-11-23 | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH, United Kingdom
Our November study day will be looking at how important Liverpool was to ceramics.
In the 18th century Liverpool had a large pottery industry. It had a major historical impact on the ceramics industry throughout the British Isles, and was the main port used to transport pottery to the United States.
The three talks will cover the Liverpool trade and merchants, porcelain, and Delftware and other pottery.
This will be an excellent way of learning not only about ceramics made in Liverpool, but of the huge importance that the city played in exporting ceramics around the world.
We are fortunate to have two acclaimed experts to talk to us about the ceramics trade of Georgian Liverpool.
Robin Emmerson, Retired Curator of the Decorative Art Department at National Museums Liverpool, and former Chairman of NCS.
Nicola Scott, Curator of Decorative Art at National Museums Liverpool, and secretary of NCS.
Members are welcome to bring items for interest and / or identification
Tea and Coffee will be served on arrival, and a light lunch will be provided.

Annual General Meeting and Talk
2025-02-01 14:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH, United Kingdom
The Twentieth Annual General Meeting will be held at the Ashmolean Museum, in the Headley Lecture Theatre starting at 2pm.
The meeting will be followed by a talk by Tim Wilson, president of the OCG, about Maiolica-painters in Renaissance Venice.

Visit to the University of Oxford Examinations School
2025-03-17 | University of Oxford Examinations School, 75 - 81 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG, United Kingdom
We are delighted to announce a private visit to the University of Oxford Examinations School.
It is located on Oxford High Street, and is a magnificent Jacobean Revival building designed by Sir Thomas Jackson (1835–1924), and is one of the largest buildings owned by the University.
It retains its original beautiful architectural features from sweeping Italian marble staircases to ornate wooden carvings and original Victorian fireplaces.
Of particular interest to members are the beautiful tiled Aesthetic Movement chimneypieces that remain in many of the interiors, including several decorated in the workshop of William De Morgan.
Numerous portraits hang on the walls, including a splendid portrait of Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, Baron Carlingford and 2nd Baron Clermont by James Tissot.

Visit to Bristol
2025-05-19 - 2025-05-20
On the afternoon of Monday 19th May, we will visit Dyrham Park, a National Trust property, near Bristol. The house was created in the late 17th century by William Blathwayt (1649-1717). He amassed one of the most important collections of Delft pottery in Britain, including extravagant flower vases, large plant tubs, delicate fruit baskets and much more.
Dr Rachel Conroy, Senior National Curator, North and Decorative Arts, National Trust, will give an introductory talk and accompany the group on a self-guided tour of the house.
The next morning there will be a tour of the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. The Museum is renowned for its ceramic collections including delftware, Lund’s Bristol, early Worcester porcelain, “Champion’s Bristol” hard paste porcelain and an array of ceramics from China and Japan.
We will meet at 10.30am for coffee and biscuits, when Kate Newnham, Curator, will meet us and give a guided tour.
Roger Massey, former President of the English Ceramic Circle, and an expert on the collections will also be on hand to answer questions, and Robin Hildyard will be showing members the unique Bristol Stoneware collection.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Stradling Collection nearby, which is a remarkable collection of 20thand 21st century design and applied arts with over 700 pieces of studio ceramics and 250 commercial examples.
Members may also like to visit the Georgian House Museum, BS1 5RR, with Georgian rooms c. 1790, and the Red Lodge Museum, BS1 5LJ, which includes three of the oldest rooms in Bristol c. 1580.

Visit to Ascott, near Wing
2025-07-09
We have arranged a visit to Ascott, a Rothschild House, which has a renowned collection of Chinese ceramics.
Further information will be provided as soon as the details have been finalised.

Visit to The Allen Gallery, Alton
2025-09-24 | Allen Gallery, 10 - 12 Church Street, Alton, GU34 2BW, United Kingdom
Situated in the historic market town of Alton, the Allen Gallery is an intimate setting for one of the south’s most outstanding collections of ceramics. The gallery hosts an impressive and varied selection of pottery, porcelain and tiles dating from 1250 to the present day.
The gallery displays a wide range of ceramics, from Wedgwood and English Delftware to unique studio pottery. Of the 3,000 pieces currently on show, the majority are drawn from around the UK, but they sit alongside Eastern Asian and continental wares which have historically influenced the ceramics industry in this country.
Pieces by some of the best-known names in ceramics and sculpture can be seen, including Items by Lucie Rie, and the tin-glazed earthenware collection, containing examples of English and European work, is of international importance. The gallery is also home to a range of sculptures, with a Parian ware bust of Queen Victoria and a bronze sculpture of a woman known as ‘Dolores’ by the American sculptor, Jacob Epstein.
Members may also like to visit the Curtis Museum nearby which is home to one of the finest local history collections in Hampshire.
Another recommendation is a visit to Jane Austen’s house at Chawton, (GU34 1SD), this year being the 200th anniversary of her death in 1825.
This is where she wrote, revised and published all six of her novels and where she lived for the last eight years of her life. It is essential to book in advance, viaenquiries@janeaustens.house

Study Day – “Porcelain in Staffordshire”
2025-11-22 | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH, United Kingdom
The study day will tell us about the fascinating history of porcelain in Staffordshire from the mid 18th century, and how an abundance of local clays and coal gave rise to a concentration of pottery factories that made Staffordshire one of the foremost pottery centres in Europe. This history continues to the present day, and reflects the social changes of times.
We are fortunate to have three acclaimed experts to talk to us about the history of porcelain in Staffordshire.
Miranda Goodby, Former Senior Curator of Ceramics at the Potteries Museums, will talk about Longton Hall (1744-1760), and other soft paste porcelain.
Pat Preller, the foremost authority on the subject, will speak about New Hall (1781-1835), and other hard paste porcelains.
John Democratis, will talk about the emergence of bone China with particular reference to Spode, founded in 1776.

Annual General Meeting and Lecture
2026-02-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH, United Kingdom
The Twenty First Annual General Meeting will be held at the Ashmolean Museum, in the Headley Lecture Theatre starting at 2pm.
The meeting will be followed by a talk by Matthew Winterbottom about William Morris Ceramics.

Visit To Kelmscott Manor
2026-05-06 | Kelmscott Manor, Lechlade, Oxfordshire, GL7 3HJ, United Kingdom
Kelmscott Manor was the summer home of designer William Morris from 1871 until his death in 1896.
Morris drew great inspiration from the unspoilt authenticity of the house’s architecture and craftsmanship, and its organic relationship with its setting, especially its garden.
The internal décor today is substantially that of Morris, and includes many of his famous textile patterns as well as much of his furniture
Further information will be provided as soon as the details have been finalised.

Visit to a private collection of ceramics in Oxfordshire
2026-07-08
We will have the opportunity to visit a private collection of ceramics belonging to one of our members in Oxfordshire.
More information will be available once the details have been confirmed.

Visit to Longford Castle, Salisbury
2026-08-20 | Longford Castle, Bodenham near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK, SP5 4ED, United Kingdom
Longford Castle is a Grade I listed country house on the banks of the River Avon south of Salisbury, Wiltshire, dating back to 1573. It is the seat of the Earl of Radnor and an example of the Elizabethan prodigy house.
We are fortunate to have been able to arrange a private guided tour of the house.
We will have the opportunity to view an important art collection which has been formed by successive generations of the family, as well significant examples of 18th century English and continental furniture and delicate Oriental porcelain.
We will also get to chance to see renowned Brussels tapestries, historical items such as Elizabeth I’s Jewel case, and as well as contemporary art including modern sculptures by Laura Ford.
Following the tour, we will be able to look round the gardens, which include a park, fruit garden, and kitchen garden.
Further information will be provided as soon as the details have been finalised.

Visit to Exeter College and the Oxford Union
2026-09-01 | Exeter College, Turl Street, Oxford, OX1 3DP, United Kingdom
We are delighted to announce a private visit to the University of Oxford Exeter College and the Oxford Union.
The visit will be in September, and the date and further details will be published as soon as they have been confirmed.

Study Day - 'Tea Coffee and Chocolate'
2026-11-21 | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH, United Kingdom
This will be a joint event with the Oxford Silver Society. We will be looking at both ceramics and silver and how the designs and shapes influenced each other.
Further information will be provided as soon as the details have been confirmed.
