Bottle oven

The word 'bottle' refers to the shape of the structure and not to the kiln's products, which are usually pottery, not glass.

Bottle kilns were typical of the industrial landscape of Stoke-on-Trent, where nearly 50 are preserved as listed buildings.

[3] Their association with Stoke-on-Trent reflects the fact that the British ceramic industry was mainly based in that city.

Bottle kilns are found in other locations in England—for example, for Coalport porcelain and the Fulham Pottery in London.

The biscuit kiln was filled with saggars of green flatwares (bedded in flint) by placers.

The floor is also slightly domed, with a central well-hole, while around the walls there are a number of brick bags (chimneys).

The kilns are enclosed in a brick hovel which can be free standing or be part of the workshop.

Placers would take the unfired greenware that was drying in the greenhouse (or the glost placing shop) and stack it in the saggar.

In the centre of the bottle oven is the well-hole, over it, saggars with no bottoms would be placed in the pipe-bung: this formed a chimney to draw the fires.

Drawing would be done 48 hours after firing finished but in hard times placers were sent into a kiln that was still glowing red after 24.

The largest group is to be found in Longton within its conservation area which protects a number of 19th century pottery works.

The condition of some of Longton's historic buildings has been deteriorating, and to reverse this a Heritage Action Zone was designated in 2017.

These zones aim to breathe "new life into old places", and this particular one, the Stoke-on-Trent Ceramic Heritage Action Zone is intended to have a double function of regenerating Longton and surviving bottle ovens throughout the city of Stoke-on-Trent.