Jackfield - East
Jackfield Tile Museum [21]
 The Tile Museum was home to the Craven Dunnill factory, where decorative tiles were mass-produced from 1874 until just after the Second World War, Jackfield Tile Museum is the best surviving example of a purpose-built Victorian tile factory
Across the street on Church Road you will find The Severn Trow, the old brothel and what was the old school, 1884, but is not a still active village hall. Further along this short dead end street is St. Mary The Virgin Church which was built in 1863 in quite an ornate design with red, blue, yellow brickwork, ornamental tiles, stone carvings and a wonderful bell turret.
There have been various pottery and tile works in Jackfield from the 17th century through to the present day. In the early 1600's the area was known for its drinking mugs. In 1750 Jackfield Ware black decorated earthenware was produced. John Rose pottery started in Broseley for a short time, then in Jackfield for a short time as well, but relocated at Coalport in the 1800's.
However it was the Victorian tile factories of Maw and Company (1883) and Craven and Dunnill (1872) that really gave Jackfield a name. Both did highly decorative and glazed tiles, however what they call encaustic tiles were very popular and more difficult to make because it was a process of inlaying coloured clays into coloured tiles as they did in medieval times.
Maws Craft Centre [22]
 In the 19th century the Maws factory was considered to be the biggest manufacturers of tiles in the world and were used in decorative aspects of the home such as floors, fireplaces, wall trim and bathrooms. Industrial usage included butchers, kitchens & hospitals (because they were so easy to keep hygienic). They were made into clocks, coasters, trays and all sorts or ornaments.
Some of the old tile buildings have been renovated into flats and some have been preserved and are in use by specialized craftspeople at The Maws Craft Centre.
 At the end of the road in Jackfield, along the river, you will eventually arrive at The Boat Inn, the second of the surviving old pubs. On the outside of the building, on a door to the right you can find dates and water lines and measurements of the great floods, the highest recorded on the door 1 November 2000 at 19 foot 6 inches. Was the great flood of 1795 higher?
Jackfield has a very active British Legion and in the car park is a tree encircled in a wall which was planted for the Silver Jubilee and the 150th anniversary of The Boat Inn and it is a memorial to those lost at war with poppy wreaths and crosses.
Jackfield & Coalport Memorial Footbridge [23]
 The most unusual war memorial is the unique Jackfield & Coalport Memorial Footbridge over the Severn which was constructed by the Legion and first opened by Lady Forrester on 2 September1922. The war memorial is of a steel truss design and bears a plaque ”They shall not grow old as we that are left to grow old ......”
The footbridge was refurbished in 2000 and rededicated by Lord and Lady Forester 15 July 2000. At the far end of the bridge is a plaque to those lost in the Great War.
CLICK HERE FOR NEXT PAGE |
