belleek pottery tour

• Cooking & Dining Tableware Dinner Sets Cutlery Bowls Plates Serveware Butter Dishes Casserole Dishes Jugs & Pitchers Mug Sets Salt & Pepper Shakers Display Bowls Shop all Tableware Flatware 24 Piece Flatware Sets 44 Piece Flatware Sets 58 Piece Flatware Sets 72 Piece Flatware Sets Pastry Sets Shop all Flatware Teaware Cake Stands Cream & Sugar Mugs & Mug Sets Tea Cups & Saucers Teapots Tea Sets Shop all Teaware Top Collections Shamrock 1880 Shamrock Gold Claddagh Field of Shamrocks Trinity Knot Ripple Archive Rose Cottage Garden FREE Delivery Available!

• Flatware Flatware Sets 24 Piece Flatware Sets 44 Piece Flatware Sets 58 Piece Flatware Sets 72 Piece Flatware Sets Pastry Sets Shop all Flatware Favorites Everyday Flatware Christmas Flatware Tea Time Cutlery Collections Archive Rose Eternal Occasions Reflections Shop all collections FREE Delivery Available!
• Home & Kitchen Home Clocks Display Bowls Frames Jugs & Pitchers Lamps Magnets Ornaments & Figurines Trinket Boxes Shop all Home Flatware 24 Piece Flatware Sets 44 Piece Flatware Sets 58 Piece Flatware Sets 72 Piece Flatware Sets Pastry Sets Shop all Flatware Kitchen Casserole Dishes Shop all Kitchen Collections Claddagh Shamrock Porto Tivoli Erne Dune FREE Delivery Available!
• Giftware Giftware Personalized Glassware Gifts For Him Gifts For Her Children's Gifts Religious Gifts Sporting Gifts e-Gift Vouchers Shop all Giftware Occasion Wedding New Baby / Christening New Home Anniversary / Celebration Christmas FREE Delivery Available!
• Lighting Lighting Table Lamps Luminaire Lighting LED Lighting Candle Holders & Votives Crystal Chandeliers Shop all Lighting Favorites Mood Lighting Contemporary Lighting Classic Lighting Hurricane Lamps Industrial Lamps FREE Delivery Available!

• Baskets Handmade Baskets Annual Baskets Everyday Baskets Christmas Baskets Favorites Annual Basket 2024 Cup & Saucer Baskets Covered Baskets Four Seasons Baskets Irish Inspired Baskets Royal Occasion Baskets Shop all Baskets FREE Delivery Available!

• icon-chevron Cooking & Dining
• icon-chevron Tableware
• View all icon-chevron
• Dinner Sets icon-chevron
• Cutlery icon-chevron
• Bowls icon-chevron
• Plates icon-chevron
• Serveware icon-chevron
• Butter Dishes icon-chevron
• Casserole Dishes icon-chevron
• Jugs & Pitchers icon-chevron
• Mug Sets icon-chevron
• Salt & Pepper Shakers icon-chevron
• Display Bowls icon-chevron
• Shop all Tableware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Flatware
• 24 Piece Flatware Sets icon-chevron
• 44 Piece Flatware Sets icon-chevron
• 58 Piece Flatware Sets icon-chevron
• 72 Piece Flatware Sets icon-chevron
• Pastry Sets icon-chevron
• Shop all Flatware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Teaware
• Cake Stands icon-chevron
• Cream & Sugar icon-chevron
• Mugs & Mug Sets icon-chevron
• Tea Cups & Saucers icon-chevron
• Teapots icon-chevron
• Tea Sets icon-chevron
• Shop all Teaware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Top Collections
• Shamrock icon-chevron
• 1880 Shamrock Gold icon-chevron
• Claddagh icon-chevron
• Field of Shamrocks icon-chevron
• Trinity Knot icon-chevron
• Ripple icon-chevron
• Archive Rose icon-chevron
• Cottage Garden icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Glassware
• Champagne Glasses icon-chevron
• Cocktail Glasses icon-chevron
• Decanters & Decanter Sets icon-chevron
• DOF & Highball Glasses icon-chevron
• Gin Glasses icon-chevron
• Wine Glasses icon-chevron
• Whiskey Glasses icon-chevron
• Glassware Sets icon-chevron
• Display Glassware icon-chevron
• Shop all Glassware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Favorites
• Wedding / Anniversary icon-chevron
• Personalized Glassware icon-chevron
• Colored Glassware icon-chevron
• Elegance icon-chevron
• Erne icon-chevron
• Renmore icon-chevron
• Longford icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Flatware Sets
• Everyday Flatware icon-chevron
• Christmas Flatware icon-chevron
• Tea Time Cutlery icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Collections
• Eternal icon-chevron
• Occasions icon-chevron
• Reflections icon-chevron
• Shop all collections icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Home & Kitchen
• icon-chevron Home
• Clocks icon-chevron
• Frames icon-chevron
• Lamps icon-chevron
• Magnets icon-chevron
• Ornaments & Figurines icon-chevron
• Trinket Boxes icon-chevron
• Shop all Home icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Kitchen
• Shop all Kitchen icon-chevron
• Porto icon-chevron
• Tivoli icon-chevron
• Dune icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Giftware
• Gifts For Him icon-chevron
• Gifts For Her icon-chevron
• Children's Gifts icon-chevron
• Religious Gifts icon-chevron
• Sporting Gifts icon-chevron
• e-Gift Vouchers icon-chevron
• Shop all Giftware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Occasion
• Wedding icon-chevron
• New Baby / Christening icon-chevron
• New Home icon-chevron
• Anniversary / Celebration icon-chevron
• Christmas icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Lighting
• Table Lamps icon-chevron
• Luminaire Lighting icon-chevron
• LED Lighting icon-chevron
• Candle Holders & Votives icon-chevron
• Crystal Chandeliers icon-chevron
• Shop all Lighting icon-chevron
• Mood Lighting icon-chevron
• Contemporary Lighting icon-chevron
• Classic Lighting icon-chevron
• Hurricane Lamps icon-chevron
• Industrial Lamps icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Personalized
• icon-chevron Personalized Gifts
• Tableware icon-chevron
• Glassware icon-chevron
• Mugs icon-chevron
• Lighting icon-chevron
• Ornaments icon-chevron
• Religious icon-chevron
• Shop all Personalized Gifts icon-chevron
• Wedding Gifts icon-chevron
• Groomsmen Gifts icon-chevron
• Sport Collection icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Baskets
• icon-chevron Handmade Baskets
• Annual Baskets icon-chevron
• Everyday Baskets icon-chevron
• Christmas Baskets icon-chevron
• Annual Basket 2024 icon-chevron
• Cup & Saucer Baskets icon-chevron
• Covered Baskets icon-chevron
• Four Seasons Baskets icon-chevron
• Irish Inspired Baskets icon-chevron
• Royal Occasion Baskets icon-chevron
• Shop all Baskets icon-chevron

Visitor Centre

BELLEEK POTTERY VISITOR CENTRE

Belleek Pottery Tour

Opening Hours 10am to 3pm Monday - Saturday; Tours times may vary. Booking Essential. Please check availability before travelling. 

At present there are no tours available on Saturday or Sunday.

Belleek Pottery Museum

When you step into the world of Belleek Pottery you step back in history. Our museum contains pieces dating back to when the pottery was started in 1857.

Belleek Tea Room

Our Tearoom is just to the right as you enter the Centre. The upper mezzanine overlooks the tranquil River Erne as it flows to meet the Atlantic Ocean. As our guest in Belleek, all of your food will be served on Belleek tableware.

Family Day Out

Visiting Belleek Pottery is sure to be an enjoyable day for the whole family. On-site facilites include;

• Belleek Retail Showroom
• Belleek Self Service Restaurant (Seats 90)
• Pottery Museum of Belleek Artefacts
• Rose Isle Garden and Picnic Area
• Audio Visual Presentation available in 8 languages
• Bloomfield's Trail animated Children's Tour
• ONE SIXTY photographic exhibition

BELLEEK POTTERY VISITOR CENTRE OPENING HOURS

JAN-FEB: Mon-Fri 10am-3pm Sat: Closed Sun: Closed

MAR-JUNE: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm Sat: 10am-4pm Sun: 1pm-4pm

JULY-SEPT: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm Sat: 10am-4pm Sun: 12pm-4pm

OCT-DEC: Weekdays 10am-3pm Sat: 10am-3pm Sun: Closed

Address & Contact

Belleek Pottery Ltd 3 Main Street Belleek Co Fermanagh BT933FY

Tel:   +44(0)28 6865 8501

For more information visit: www.Belleekpottery.ie

For information relating to tour ticket orders placed, please email; [email protected]

How to get to Belleek Pottery

Belleek is situated on the edge of Northern Ireland in the beautiful County of Fermanagh.

Directions from the following main cities/towns are:

From Dublin

Take the N3 North West from Dublin going through the towns of Navan and Kells - heading for Cavan. At a major roundabout before Cavan follow signs for Derrylin and Enniskillen. Continue this route to the outskirts of Enniskillen turning right at another roundabout for Enniskillen. Drive into the town perimeter and then turn left at the bridge on to the A46 for Belleek.

Travel time by car - 3 hours.

From Belfast

Take the M1 to Dungannon. Continue on the A4 for approximately 9 miles to the Ballygawley roundabout. Follow the A4 through Augher, Clogher and Fivemiletown until you reach Enniskillen. In Enniskillen follow the signs for Belleek (A46).

Travel time by car - 2 hours.

From Galway

Take the N17 North from Galway City going through the towns of Tuam, Knock (pilgrimage town), Charlestown, Tubbercurry, Collooney and Sligo. In Sligo follow the N15 North going through the towns of Bundoran and Ballyshannon. In Ballyshannon take the R230 to Belleek.

Travel time by car - 2 1/2 hours.

From Derry City / Londonderry

Take the A5 heading South toward Strabane. Stay on the A5 to Sion Mills. After Sion Mills turn right onto the B72 heading for Castlederg still keeping on the B72. Turn right in Ederny onto the B4 heading for Kesh. In Kesh turn right and take the third left, signposted Boa Island and Belleek (A47).

SIGN UP WITH 10% OFF*

Sign up to get all the latest news and exclusive offers. *On your first order.

Are you sure you want to sure you want to leave the feed?

Oops... something went wrong!

Looking for inspiration? Planning a trip? Or just want to scroll yourself happy? We'll show you an Ireland that's tailor-made for you.

• #Landscapes
• #CultureandHeritage
• #OutdoorActivities

Oops, no internet connection

While offline, you can still add items to ‘My Board’. New travel reccomendations will only show up once you’re back online.

See what Ireland has in store for you

Items without a physical location are not shown in map view.

Looks like your board is empty

Look out for the little heart icon around Ireland.com, simply tap the icon to start adding items to your board!

Board settings

Collection cover image.

Visible to people you share your board with

Share Board

Share a link to your ‘My Ireland’ board and inspire friends, co-travellers and family. Only you can add or remove items from your board.

Forgot your password?

Create an account.

Access My Ireland across all of your devices by logging in.

Sign up Not got an account?

Terms of use | Privacy policy

Login Got an account?

Location access

• View offers and deals nearby you
• Get travel inspiration based on your location
• Local weather warnings and useful travel information

Enable location access

Location access on ios.

• 1 Open the website settings for this website in your browser
• 2 Select Location settings
• 3 Choose “Allow
• 1 Open the My Ireland website

• 2 Select the Icon below

• 3 Select “Website Settings

• 4 Change “Location” to “Allow”

Notifications

Travel times.

Tell us when you are going to be travelling Ireland, and we will show you tailored recommendations for the duration of your trip.

• Tips for events happening during your stay
• Helpful travel reminders and updates

You have unsaved changes. Save before leaving?

We take your privacy very serious and only ever process your data with your persmission. If possible this is handled anonymously and we will never store your data for longer than is required. For more information on how we handle your personal data please read our Privacy Policy.

Remove Data

To securely remove all data associated with your profile please contact our Data Protection Officer.

Reset your Board

This will remove all the items you have previously liked from your board. Please note, you can’t undo this action.

Are you sure you want to reset your board?

This will completely reset your board and all associated data permanently. This cannot be undone.

• Created date 19 July 2023

Delete account

Sorry you’re leaving. But you gotta do what you gotta do. Just a reminder, if you delete your account, you won’t be able to post in Community. And it’s permanent so you can’t “undo” it in the future.

Belleek Pottery Experiences

• #NorthernIrelandEmbraceAGiantSpirit

Ireland in your inbox

Sign up to receive free email newsletters from Tourism Ireland, including vacation ideas, insider tips, news, and events.

We will use your email address to send you personalised content straight to your inbox based on how you interact with this website and our advertisements on other websites.

Something went wrong...

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our Newsletter!

I understand that by signing up, I will receive personalised email content based on my use of Tourism Ireland’s website, emails and Tourism Ireland’s advertising on other websites, cookies and tracking pixels. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking 'unsubscribe' in our emails. Find out more information on "How we handle your personal data" in our privacy policy .

I would like to receive information and special offers by email from carefully selected travel partners. For more information please see our privacy policy .

Located in the charming village of Belleek by the banks of the River Erne, Belleek Pottery offers history, heritage and hands-on experiences that showcase the very best of this iconic institution.

Belleek Pottery is the oldest working fine china pottery on the island of Ireland. For over 160 years, skilled local craftspeople have been forging world-renowned pieces of pottery, porcelain and earthenware at this site and very little has changed over time in terms of how the pieces are produced. Each piece of Belleek is handcrafted by 16 individual artisans. A chance to glimpse the creation of such fine crafts is not to be missed if you’re in the area.

Among the experiences you can choose from, there’s a classic guided tour that goes behind-the-scenes at the factory, an afternoon tea experience that overlooks glistening Lough Erne, and an interactive kids trail that highlights colourful ceramic works. It’s also an ideal place to pick up top quality gifts and souvenirs on your trip. The show room here is packed with unique pieces of Belleek fine china, jewellery and clothing that you won’t find on the online store.

You might also like

Belleek Pottery, County Fermanagh

Need to know

Belleek Pottery is open year round but opening hours vary by month. See here for a yearly overview.

Several Belleek Pottery Experiences are available to book here .

Facilities at Belleek Pottery include a car park, audio visual presentations in six languages and a tearoom serving hot food and drinks.

Things to see and do nearby

Accommodation

Lough Erne Resort

Enniskillen

Devenish Island Monastic Site

Janus Figure, Boa Island

Florence Court

Florencecourt

Crom Estate

Newtownbutler

Castle Coole

Blakes Of The Hollow

Belle Isle Castle

Enniskillen Castle

Enniskillen Taste Experience

Enniskillen Golf Club

Erne Water Taxi

Lough Erne Resort is Northern Ireland's five-star countryside retreat. Dine by the lakes, walk in nature, play championship golf, pamper yourself in The Thai Spa or discover the beautiful Fermanagh attractions.

Famous for its perfect 12th-century round tower and ruined Augustinian abbey, Devenish Monastic Site was founded in the 6th century by Saint Molaise on one of Lough Erne’s many islands.

In Caldragh Cemetery on Boa Island, Lower lough Erne stand two unique stone carvings.

Florence Court is a truly welcoming home. The house, formerly the home of the Cole family, Earls of Enniskillen, is surrounded by a large area of parkland, garden and woodland, with breathtaking views to Benaughlin and the Cuilcagh Mountains. You can enjoy glorious walks around the grounds which include a pretty walled garden, holiday cottage, sawmill and icehouse. In the gardens you will find the famous Florence Court Yew - reputedly the 'parent' of all Irish yew trees.

Set on the shores of Upper Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, Crom is one of Ireland's most important nature conservation areas.

Castle Coole one of Ireland's finest Neo-classical houses, allowing visitors to glimpse what life was like in the home of the Earls of Belmore. Discover the story of the people who lived and worked below stairs as you explore the servants quarters.

Blake's of the Hollow is renowned for its pints of Guinness and Irish coffees.

Nestling close to the water's edge and set within a landscape of lakes and islands of gently rolling hills and fragrant woods, Belle Isle Castle provides self catering or fully catered accommodation.

Situated beside the River Erne in County Fermanagh, was built almost 600 years ago by Gaelic Maguires. It was strategically important throughout its history. In the 17th century it became a garrison fort and later a military barracks. Enjoy the many seasonal events and exhibitions including The Inniskillings Museum within the castle grounds and Fermanagh County Museum's Medieval Maguires display.

Taste the best of Fermanagh’s local produce. Indulge your inner foodie and discover a unique perspective of the only island town in Ireland on the Enniskillen Taste Experience. On this this 3-hour gourmet tasting tour, you’ll experience the tastes, sounds and sights of Enniskillen.

Enniskillen Golf Club is a superb 18 hole parkland course adjacent to Castlecoole Estate

See Lough Erne your way with Erne Water Taxi's chauffeur driven boats. Travel in the comfort of our covered 8- seater boat, complete with cab, without having to worry about the driving. Your tour guide will help you explore the history of Lough Erne.

• Animals & Wildlife
• Arts, Galleries, Crafts, Gift Shopping
• Beach, Sea, Rivers, Lakes
• Castles, Houses. Museums, Heritage
• Entertainment & Theatre
• Family & Kids Adventure
• Food & Drink
• Gardens, Farms, Parks
• Heritage Towns, Special Places
• Nature, Environment
• Shopping Experience
• 'Meet the Wildlife'
• Browse Nearby
• Dublin & Nearby

Belleek Pottery

Winner of 'best visitor experience' 2014 at the nitb awards, belleek pottery is one of the top visitor attractions in ireland..

Visit Ireland’s oldest working pottery over 160 years in business. This top-class Visitor Centre offers a fascinating insight into the world of Belleek and the process that takes place to deliver these world famous products.

Take a 30 minute guided tour and discover the manufacturing process that takes place to produce Belleek. See, hear and touch the product throughout the tour.

In the museum, you will see a collection of the finest Belleek every produced over the last 159 years – from domestic and toiletry wares to earthenware. The Belleek Visitor Book (1868-1884) is a popular attraction here as it records the visit of The Earl & Countess of Spencer, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and his wife in 1870.

The Belleek retail showroom is a modern, stylish retail outlet, displaying the vast product range of Belleek products for sale, from tableware collections to basketware.

A visit to Belleek Pottery is sure to be a memorable one for all age groups, with something for everyone to enjoy.

• Top-class Visitor Centre and winner of the ‘Best Visitor Experience’ 2014
• In-depth Factory Tour to discover the hidden craft behind Belleek Pottery
• Museum showcasing the finest Belleek ever produced
• Modern and stylish Retail Showroom selling Belleek’s vast range
• Audio-Visual Presentation
• Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre works hard to bring visitors new and exciting experiences to make their visit even more enjoyable.

Opening Times:

Open Monday to Friday

Admission Price:

Free entry to the visitor centre, rates apply for tours, pre-booking advisable.

Check out their range of facilities, services, accessibility and other useful information.

LANGUAGES: Free leaflets available in English. Free audio guide in English, French, German, Japanese and Italian.

DINING / REFRESHMENTS: Self-service tearoom serving hot meals and beverages.

SHOPPING: Belleek retail showroom selling a vast range of Belleek products from tableware collections to basketware.

PARKING: Free car and coach parking on-site.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Fully wheelchair accessible with accessible toilets.

GROUPS: Group rates available (minimum 10 people). Pre-booking required.

ACCOLADES & AWARDS:

• Trip Advisor ‘Certificate of Excellence Winner’ 2015
• CIE International Tours Award of Excellence Winner 2015
• NITB Awards Best Visitor Experience 2014
• NITB Accreditation Four Star Visitor Attraction 2013
• WorldHost Recognition for Excellence in Customer Service
• Investors in People

From Dublin: Belleek Pottery is 3 hours from Dublin. Take the N3 North West from Dublin toward Cavan. At the major roundabout before Cavan follow signs for Derrylin and Enniskillen. Continue this route to the outskirts of Enniskillen turning right at another roundabout for Enniskillen. Drive into the town perimeter and then turn left at the bridge on to the A46 for Belleek.

From Belfast : Belleek is 2 hours from Belfast. Take the M1 to Dungannon. Continue on the A4 for approximately 9 miles to the Ballygawley roundabout. Follow the A4 through Augher, Clogher and Fivemiletown until you reach Enniskillen. In Enniskillen follow the signs for Belleek (A46).

3 Main Street, Belleek, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland

‘Your Daily Adventure’ is loved by visitors. Watch out for the Regional Editions on your travels. Each is packed with information on all there is to do, see and enjoy around Ireland. You can also view the online editions right here.

It is always advisable to check the opening dates and times of any attraction or business you intend to visit. Check their website or give them a call.

Belleek Pottery Factory

Belleek Pottery is situated in the picturesque village of Belleek in County Fermanagh on the banks of the River Erne. This fine Neo-Georgian building is home to Ireland's oldest working fine china pottery factory. Belleek Pottery holds a very special place in Ireland's cultural heritage.  

Belleek: Pottery in the region began around 1849, after John Caldwell Bloomfield inherited his father's estate. Seeking to provide employment for his tenants, who had been affected by the Irish potato famine and, being an amateur minerologist, he ordered a geological survey of his land. On finding that the area was rich in minerals, Bloomfield went into partnership with London architect Robert Williams Armstrong and Dublin merchant David McBirney. In setting up a pottery business, Bloomfield managed to get a railway line built to Belleek so that coal could be delivered with which to fire kilns.

Building started on the pottery in 1858. Initially starting with domestic products, it wasn't until 1863 that small amounts of the Parian porcelain for which Belleek is famous for to this day, was successfully produced. By 1865, the prestige of the company had increased enough that its market included Ireland, England, the United States, Canada and Australia, and clients included the Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria and the nobility.

The original owners had all died by 1884, and a local group of investors acquired the concern and named it Belleek Pottery Works Company Ltd. Master craftsmen Frederick Slater moved from England to Belleek in 1893 and by 1920 high quality porcelain was becoming the mainstay of the business. The company struggled throughout the First and Second World Wars, and the company concentrated on producing earthenware during these periods.

After the Second World War, Belleek Pottery stopped production of earthenware entirely. The Pottery began the change from coal fired kilns to electric powered kilns from 1952. In 1983 the Industrial Development Board gave financial assistance to the company and installed Roger Troughton as the Managing Director. The following year Troughton made a successful bid for the sale of the company. In 1988, Dungannon-based Powerscreen International bought the company and opened a Visitor Centre the following year.

1990 saw the enterprise changing hands again. Dundalk-born US-based Dr. George G. Moore remains the owner to this day, though the company is run locally by four Directors. Since then Belleek Pottery has expanded its size in terms of factory space, acquisitions of other companies, staff and turnover. Subsidiary companies now include Galway Crystal, Aynsley China and Donegal Parian China. It employs more than six hundred people and enjoys an annual turnover of around £30 million.

Facilities now include guided tours, museum, audio visual theatre, showroom and restaurant.

Tours featuring this attraction

Irish Explorer - 10 Days/9 Nights

Irish Explorer - 9 Days/8 Nights

Irish Odyssey - 12 Days/11 Nights

(11 Nights)

Subscribe to our newsletter

• Terms & Conditions
• Travel Agents
• The Irish Tourism Group Sustainability Policy

RU | Site built by Granite Digital & Crafted by Artisan

How do you like to travel?

• Self Drive Tours Ireland
• Escorted Bus Tours Ireland
• Honeymoons in Ireland
• Private Group Tours Ireland

How much time do you have have to spend in Ireland?

What kind of experience are you looking for?

Food/Dining

History & Heritage

Honeymoon & Romance

Scenic Attractions

Talk to our Irish experts

Let us help you create that dream Irish vacation that you will remember forever.

Call us here in Ireland to discuss your plans.

Let's keep in touch

Sign up here to get the latest news, updates and special offers.

Belleek Pottery & Visitor Centre

Top ways to experience Belleek Pottery & Visitor Centre and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

BELLEEK POTTERY & VISITOR CENTRE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• (0.07 mi) Moohan's Fiddlestone
• (0.08 mi) Glen Eden Hotel
• (0.07 mi) Dulrush Fishing Lodge B&B, Fermanagh
• (5.14 mi) Lough Mardal Lodge - Lakeside Eco Lodge & Glamping
• (0.47 mi) Belleek Hostel
• (0.02 mi) Belleek Pottery Tea Room
• (0.09 mi) The Thatch
• (0.06 mi) The Lemon Tree Coffee House
• (0.09 mi) The Black Cat Cove
• (0.07 mi) Fiddlestone Pub
• (0.06 mi) Gilmartins Craft Shop
• (0.08 mi) Atlantic Motorcycle Hire
• (0.09 mi) Mc Morrows Bar
• (0.10 mi) Belleek Parish Church
• (5.93 mi) Seclusion Spa

Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

Main Street

Rathmore Belleek

Enniskillen BT93 3FY

United Kingdom

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

A. very enjoyable visit to the pottery factory. We took the tour and leaned about the craft and people. Everyone who works here is a resident of the town of Belleek. The skill is taught parent to child and each stage of the process requires a specialized skill. A throwback to olden days. The workers are paid by piece and any that do not measure up are summarily destroyed. We bought some items for gifts and for ourselves and had them shipped home. All very easy. No need to carry expensive porcelain on the jet. Highly recommend a visit. Mark & Nancy.

Our guide for the Belleek factory tour.

It's very much personal taste but I find Parian china beautiful - some of the pieces on display here are stunning to see. The generation before mine really cared for this delicate, almost translucent, almost weightless, fine porcelain (as they did for Waterford Crystal lead glassware) that is characterised by its thinness, slightly iridescent surface and body formulated with a significant proportion of frit. When made the delicate ware goes through 16 pairs of hands before it's ready to sell. I'm pleased to be the owner of some beautifully designed pieces and it saddens me that it's popularity has waned - things of beauty are a joy forever. The company which began in 1857 has had to to diversify just to survive as the current generation won't thank you for true craftwork that often is of itself an art form. Now they also sell cutlery, kitchenware, glassware, table lamps and so on. The village is right on the border between Northern and Southern Ireland - literally you can cross the border from the pottery by just a few steps. If you are close by it's worth a visit as it's not just free to go in, it's a living museum.

A great 1/2 hour tour of the pottery factory. Vouchers from our hotel got us in for free and the voucher also included tea/coffee and scone at the cafe inside of the Center. After the tour we browsed the gift shop...maybe we stayed an hour total? It was worth the stop. My husband was not too thrilled when he heard I wanted to stop in a pottery center, but he quite enjoyed the tour and was glad we visited. It was a treat to see how the trade of making pottery has remained virtually the same over generations of time, and the simple tools used to form the pottery are so are unchanged from days gone by. Loved seeing the skilled tradesman doing what they do best, amazing talent and apprenticeship hours put into perfecting the skills to make this pottery. We visited in the early afternoon on a weekday, apparently after the tour bus rush which was good for us because it was quiet and enjoyable. Our tour was informative and hands on, we got to dip pottery, crush seconds, and feel the clay in our hands used to form the pottery. It was fascinating to learn about the process of producing the pottery. We didn't pick up any pieces while we were here, but I may order some online. The cafe had great coffee and tea and complimentary cherry house made scone which my husband loved! The desserts here all looked incredible, I ordered a lamb pastie, a hand pie to share with my husband which was really good, my husband ordered another on the way out.

See all photos from Dawn F. for Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre

We visited the Pottery Visitor Centre on a Sunday which meant that there was no pottery production in process so we didn't get a chance to see any actual production. But we did get to visit the pottery store and te see some amazing pottery creations. There were a number of exhibits and displays that explained the pottery making process but a tour of the actual production area would have been a great addition to this stop on our tour. A large part of the visitor's centre is a retail store that sells some of their amazing creations. My advice to prospective visitors would be to schedule your visit on a weekday instead of on the weekend so that you can see the pottery operation "in operation".

We had a really good tour here. They took us through the entire manufacturing area and showed us how the various pieces of pottery are made. It takes a lot of skill to do the work and many of the positions require an apprenticeship.

This is a great place to visit. We arrived early for the tour and got to shop around a bit, then had some extra time before the tour so we went into the tea room which has more than just tea. I had some pretty good soup and bread and they had great desserts there as well. It was just the thing I needed on this rainy day in Northern Ireland. We got to tour the actual factory where people are making all of the pottery that is sold in the store and shipped around the world. It's all hand made and hand painted by local folks. Each of the people making the items leaves their mark on the item which is a letter of the alphabet and from that you can tell who made it. After the tour, we self toured the museum. When we were done shopping, the lady who had given us the tour Bernadette, brought us back into the factory so we could meet one of the people who had helped to make the things we had bought. It was an all around great experience. If you love history this is for you. If you love hand made manufacturing this is for you. If you love pottery this is for you. If you think all that stuff is boring, wait in the car or the tea room while the rest of your group has a great time! They were super busy when we were there trying to fill the orders for qvc, and once again each and every item is hand made by a craftsman. I know... I watched. Seconds don't leave this factory. If you want, there is part of the tour where you can break one of the seconds, then it will be recycled. We were there off season, so the place was practically empty. I'm sure in the warmer months there are lots more people there. Finding this place on the GPS was a bit of a struggle. I had to put it in several different ways before I got it right. It's right on the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, so if whatever is on your gps doesn't look like that change it. The address listed in this listing should get you there if you put in the correct postal code.

Fantastic tour! Loved seeing & talking to actual artisans while they worked on pieces. Museum (self-guided) was very informative on the history of the company and displays of pottery previously made by Belleek! Well worth a visit!!

You cannot miss this! The tour is fantastic and the shopping is great! Visited here twice and still love it!

People Also Viewed

Lough Eske Castle

Ice House Hotel

Tullycullion House

Glasshouse Hotel

Auntie B’s Bed and Breakfaat

Kilronan Castle

Kilronan Castle Hotel and Spa

Abbey Hotel

The Holyrood Hotel

The Gaslight Inn

Places to Go Near Me

Visitor Centers Near Me

Other Visitor Centers Nearby

Find more Visitor Centers near Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre

Related Cost Guides

Town Car Service

Belleek Pottery

• Cooking & Dining Tableware Dinner Sets Cutlery Bowls Plates Serveware Butter Dishes Casserole Dishes Jugs & Pitchers Mug Sets Salt & Pepper Shakers Display Bowls Shop all Tableware Cutlery 24 Piece Cutlery Sets 44 Piece Cutlery Sets 58 Piece Cutlery Sets 72 Piece Cutlery Sets Pastry Sets Shop all Cutlery Cookware & Table Accessories Cast Iron Ovenware Placemats & Coasters Serveware Teaware Cake Stands Cream & Sugar Mugs & Mug Sets Tea Cups & Saucers Teapots Tea Sets Shop all Teaware Top Collections Erne Tivoli Stoneware Ripple Archive Blue Archive Rose Camille Pale Cottage Garden Saffron Ginkgo Marble Pekoe Field of Shamrocks Shamrock Claddagh Shop all Collections

• icon-chevron Cooking & Dining
• icon-chevron Tableware
• View all icon-chevron
• Dinner Sets icon-chevron
• Cutlery icon-chevron
• Bowls icon-chevron
• Plates icon-chevron
• Serveware icon-chevron
• Butter Dishes icon-chevron
• Casserole Dishes icon-chevron
• Jugs & Pitchers icon-chevron
• Mug Sets icon-chevron
• Salt & Pepper Shakers icon-chevron
• Display Bowls icon-chevron
• Shop all Tableware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Cutlery
• 24 Piece Cutlery Sets icon-chevron
• 44 Piece Cutlery Sets icon-chevron
• 58 Piece Cutlery Sets icon-chevron
• 72 Piece Cutlery Sets icon-chevron
• Pastry Sets icon-chevron
• Shop all Cutlery icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Cookware & Table Accessories
• Cast Iron icon-chevron
• Ovenware icon-chevron
• Placemats & Coasters icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Teaware
• Cake Stands icon-chevron
• Cream & Sugar icon-chevron
• Mugs & Mug Sets icon-chevron
• Tea Cups & Saucers icon-chevron
• Teapots icon-chevron
• Tea Sets icon-chevron
• Shop all Teaware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Top Collections
• Erne icon-chevron
• Tivoli Stoneware icon-chevron
• Ripple icon-chevron
• Archive Blue icon-chevron
• Archive Rose icon-chevron
• Camille Pale icon-chevron
• Cottage Garden icon-chevron
• Saffron icon-chevron
• Ginkgo icon-chevron
• Marble icon-chevron
• Pekoe icon-chevron
• Field of Shamrocks icon-chevron
• Shamrock icon-chevron
• Claddagh icon-chevron
• Shop all Collections icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Glassware
• Champagne Glasses icon-chevron
• Cocktail Glasses icon-chevron
• Decanters & Decanter Sets icon-chevron
• DOF & Highball Glasses icon-chevron
• Gin Glasses icon-chevron
• Wine Glasses icon-chevron
• Whiskey Glasses icon-chevron
• Glassware Sets icon-chevron
• Display Glassware icon-chevron
• Shop all Glasses icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Favourites
• Wedding / Anniversary icon-chevron
• Personalised Glassware icon-chevron
• Coloured Glassware icon-chevron
• Elegance icon-chevron
• Longford icon-chevron
• Renmore icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Cutlery Sets
• Everyday Cutlery icon-chevron
• Christmas Cutlery icon-chevron
• Tea Time Cutlery icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Collections
• Eternal icon-chevron
• Occassions icon-chevron
• Reflection icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Home & Kitchen
• icon-chevron Home
• Clocks icon-chevron
• Frames icon-chevron
• Home Fragrance icon-chevron
• Lighting icon-chevron
• Magnets icon-chevron
• Ornaments & Figurines icon-chevron
• Throws icon-chevron
• Trinket Boxes icon-chevron
• Shop all Home icon-chevron
• Pastry Set icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Kitchen
• Aprons icon-chevron
• Oven Mitts icon-chevron
• Shop all Kitchen icon-chevron
• Porto icon-chevron
• Tivoli icon-chevron
• Dune icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Giftware
• Gifts For Him icon-chevron
• Gifts For Her icon-chevron
• Children's Gifts icon-chevron
• Religious Gifts icon-chevron
• Sporting Gifts icon-chevron
• e-Gift Vouchers icon-chevron
• Shop all Giftware icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Occasion
• Wedding icon-chevron
• New Baby / Christening icon-chevron
• New Home icon-chevron
• Anniversary / Celebration icon-chevron
• Christmas icon-chevron
• icon-chevron Popular Gifts
• Personalised Gifts icon-chevron
• Annual Collection Pieces icon-chevron
• Jewellery icon-chevron
• Handcrafted Baskets icon-chevron
• Home Fragrances icon-chevron
• Table Lamps icon-chevron
• Luminaires icon-chevron
• Galway Crystal Glassware icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Lighting
• Floor Lamps icon-chevron
• Luminaire Lighting icon-chevron
• LED Lighting icon-chevron
• Candle Holders & Votives icon-chevron
• Crystal Chandeliers icon-chevron
• Lamp Shades icon-chevron
• Shop all Lighting icon-chevron
• Mood Lighting icon-chevron
• Contemporary Lighting icon-chevron
• Classic Lighting icon-chevron
• Christmas Lighting icon-chevron
• Candle Light icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Personalised
• icon-chevron Personalised Gifts
• Tableware icon-chevron
• Glassware icon-chevron
• Mugs icon-chevron
• Ornaments icon-chevron
• Religious icon-chevron
• Shop all Personalised Gifts icon-chevron
• Wedding Gifts icon-chevron
• Groomsmen Gifts icon-chevron
• Sport Collection icon-chevron

• icon-chevron Baskets
• icon-chevron Handmade Baskets
• Annual Baskets icon-chevron
• Everyday Baskets icon-chevron
• Christmas Baskets icon-chevron
• The Art of Basket Making icon-chevron
• Shop all Baskets icon-chevron
• Annual Basket 2024 icon-chevron
• Cup & Saucer Baskets icon-chevron
• Covered Baskets icon-chevron
• Four Seasons Baskets icon-chevron
• Irish Inspired Baskets icon-chevron
• Royal Occasion Baskets icon-chevron

CAST IRON COOKWARE

ERNE TABLEWARE

ERNE GLASSWARE

Top categories.

Shop Dining

Shop Glassware

Shop Fashion

Shop Cutlery

Shop Lighting

Shop Giftware

Shop Baskets

Shop Personalised

Bestsellers.

Shop by Room

Kitchen & Dining

Cutlery , Mug Sets

Dining Sets , Tea Sets

Wine Glasses , Serveware

Living Room

Lighting , Throws

Clocks , Vases

Picture Frames , Fragrance

Lamp Shades , Picture Frames

Lighting , Fragrance

Figurines , Clocks

Free UK Shipping

On all orders over £60

Shop Dinner Sets

Galway Crystal Fashion

Fashion & Jewellery

Personalised Gifts

Don't take our word for it

★★★★★ Goods were as shown in the advert and absolutely beautiful, well packaged and delivered on time. Would thoroughly recommend this firm. Leslie English GB

★★★★★ Frequent customer of Belleek Pottery always satisfied. Service excellent, fast delivery time and very good value on all my purchases. Aileen Wade IE

★★★★★ The packaging was phenomenal. I wish more companies packaged their products the way you do to avoid breakage. Kimberly Sturgill US

★★★★★ Having visited the Beleek factory several times I can vouch for the quality of all that they advertise. Personally I would not choose any other above Belleek. Alexander Edmonston GB

★★★★★ Beautiful items that were packaged extremely well. These were gifts for my mother's birthday, and she was thrilled with them. A+! I definitely will consider Belleek for future gifts and for my own home! R. Poe US

SIGN UP WITH 10% OFF*

Sign up to get all the latest news and exclusive offers. *On your first order.

• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Moscow Metro Tour

• Page active

Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

Write your review

Belleek Pottery museum endevours to tell the story of Belleek Pottery through its many products made over its 165 year history. Each of the cabinets and displays takes one through the design and production story of Belleek Pottery.  Many of the pieces in the museum have been donated by collectors and other owners who wished to allow the many visitors to the pottery to see and appreciate the many wonderful creations crafted and made down through the years.

The Beginnings (Display 1)

In 1853 John Caldwell Bloomfield, owner of the Castlecaldwell estate, commissioned a mineral survey of his lands. It discovered that in an area approximately eight miles from Belleek at Larkhill, there were sufficient deposits of Feldspar and Kaolin (china clay) to make mining commercially viable.

A crushing mill was built at Belleek on the site of an old corn mill and where there was waterpower from the River Erne to drive the machinery necessary to process the raw materials.

These materials were exported to England and a large contract was established with the firm of Kerr & Binns of Worcester, later to become Royal Worcester . James Kerr’s father’s shop in Capel Street, Dublin is where John Caldwell Bloomfield and Robert Armstrong first met and discussed the viability of the project

                                                             Display 1

It was through this link that John Caldwell Bloomfield, Robert Williams Armstrong and later David Mc Birney met. Each of them was to contribute vital elements to the foundation and success of the Pottery- land, expertise and finance. The resulting company was known as David Mc Birney & Co . In 1858 construction of the main pottery building started. It is difficult  to say exactly when production began but by 1863 making of utilitarian and probably some sanitary ware had commenced.

In the Dublin Exhibition of 1864 the products shown by Belleek consisted of earthen and stoneware in “dinner, toilet and other table services” made by moulding, press and die, or pressure from powdered clay. (Royal Dublin Society, Official Catalogue of the Exhibition of Manufacturers, Machinery and Fine Arts 1864)

The following year they increased the size of their exhibit and at this show they won their first Gold medal.

The McBirney & Co. descriptive entry in the 1865 Dublin Exhibition

To read the full article in the 1865 Exhibition Catalogue, follow the link:

McBirney & Co Descriptive entry in the1865 Dublin Exhibition

Featured item- Hunting Bowl scenes

Farming in 19 th Century Ireland was the occupation of the majority of the population and Belleek catered for this market with a range of in-expensive everyday wares. .These products were only listed as shapes in price lists but could be purchased in a range of patterns and cost from plain to sponge decorated, to transfer printed.

To read more click on this link:   

Hunting Bowl

Domestic & Sanitary Ware (Display 2)

                              Display 2

From the beginning Belleek produced a wide range of domestic and toiletry wares. These ranged from expensive decorated ewers  such as the Etruscan Ewer, shown below right, to the simple colour transfer printed  Eldon Ewer & Basin, shown in front. As well, Belleek offered a range of products for everyday use; hospitals and asylums were supplied with items such as bedpans, feeding cups and slop pans. Creameries and milking parlours could obtain milk pans and bowls. Domestic Kitchens with pudding bowls, baking dishes and jelly cans.

Earthenware was the mainstay of the Pottery’s early years and on a roll of one hundred and twenty-five employees in 1897, forty-four were Potters (earthenware), eight Parian makers and ten Basket and Flower makers.

Production of heavy sanitary ware began in the early 1870’s.The wealthy were fitting “water closets” into their homes and for a number of years this proved to be a very lucrative market.  R. W. Armstrong patented many of the Belleek sanitary ware designs and the design patent of the washbasin shown below was registered on the 28 th July 1879.

By the late 1890’s the manufacture of heavy sanitary ware ceased due to technical difficulties and the cost of manufacturing.

Featured item- Decorative Wash basin 

It surprises most visitors to Belleek Pottery that Belleek manufactured heavy sanitary wares. It is likely that manufacturing began in the late 1870s and was discontinued sometime before 1900.

This particular wash basin has a registry mark dating it being registered at the Patents Office in London on the 28 th July 1879.

To find out more about the story of Belleek Heavy sanitary wares click on the link:

Decorative Wash basin

Earthenware (Display 3)

                                   Display 3

As expertise developed many new lines were added. In early experiments Robert Armstrong developed a white earthenware clay body, which he called his “harp body”, thus many very early pieces have an impressed harp. He later said that he had perfected his “Harp” body and to demonstrate its excellence he placed a crown above the impressed harp.

Contracts were undertaken for many institutions and organisations in both Ireland and Britain and often they had their crests or emblems printed on their purchases.

  Decoration took many forms, the more decoration and colour, the more expensive. Monograms were printed in one colour and could be hand decorated with many colours, gilded and finished to a very high standard.

  The dinner set shown here is one of the most recognisable Belleek earthenware shapes called the “Ribbon handle” In this instance it is decorated with blue bands and gilded. This along with other shape designs was decorated on a price scale from; plain white, to colour banded, to transfer printed in mono-colours i.e. brown, blue, black, green and red. Gilding was an added extra.

At this time transfer prints could only be printed in one colour. If additional colour decoration was requested, these were hand decorated over the base colour print. This involved several additional firings and as a result was expensive to produce.

Featured Item- First Mark Earthenware Plate with a Family Crest

The saying goes “Every picture tells a story” in this instance it’s a plate that will tell us this story.

The plate is earthenware with a first mark and a wild rose printed decoration hand tinted in colour. On the top edge of the plate is a crest, which had the Latin motto “Nunquam non Partis” printed on a banner. The plate has a first black mark and impressed Harp and Crown mark, indicating that it was made sometime between 1863 and 1884 during the tenure of the first Belleek company David McBirney & Co. It would have formed part of a complete dinner set.

To read more about this story- click on this link: 

Crested Plate

The Dublin Exhibition 1872 (Display 4)

The Exhibition of Arts, Industries and Manufactures organised by Sir Edward Lee were held in Dublin in 1872. The firm of David McBirney & Co. featured Porcelain for the first time.

The list included nine Parian statuettes and busts, twenty-nine different Dessert pieces, sixteen types of table ornaments the latter category including hand woven baskets. Also displayed were thirty-six pattern plates and twenty-four hollow pieces in the dinnerware section. Examples of the Echinus Eggshell Dejuener sets similar to the one purchased by Queen Victoria as well as the Chinese double spouted kettles and tea urns were also on display.

Also exhibited were Earthenware Dinnerware, Tea & breakfast ware, Toilet ware and heavy utilitarian pieces.

                                   Display 4

The presence of so many expensive heavily decorated, ornamented and gilded pieces, was the beginning of Robert Armstrong’s goal of making products that would interest the wealthier classes and so raising the aspirational appeal of Belleek to the wider market.

Although Belleek did not win any awards at the exhibition their stand did form the largest section within the Irish and English industrial area of the Exhibition. Here are shown some examples of the Parian pieces displayed at the Exhibition.

Featured Item – Figure of Erin

“Erin unveiling her first Ceramic production. The base of the figure represents the flagstones of the fall on which the Pottery is built and from which the town and the products of the Pottery derive their name.”

This is how the figure was described in a Belleek Catalogue published in 1928. William Boynton Kirk  (1824-1900) a Dublin born sculptor designed and sculpted this wonderful allegorical piece for Belleek in the late1860.

Here we tell the story of the first time Erin was exhibited at the Dublin Exhibition of 1872.

To find out more click on the link:

Figure of Erin

Paris Exposition 1900 (Display 5)

                             Display 5

The elaborately flowered mirror displayed here is  believed to be the same as the one sent to Paris for the 1900 exhibition. A similar styled mirror was presented to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

The “Exposition Universelle” of 1900 was a world fair held in Paris, France,

“ to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next” .

More than 50 million people attended the exhibition (a world record at the time), yet it still failed to turn a profit, costing the French government 2,000,000 Francs. The fair included more than 76,000 exhibitors and covered 1.12 square kilometres of Paris. The exhibition lasted from the 14 th April until 10 th November 1900.

Belleek won their fourth gold medal at this Exhibition for the International Centre-piece and it is displayed in the foyer of the Visitors Centre.

In the cabinet are shown some of the other exhibits brought to the Paris Exhibition. Some of these, such as the Dolphin Candlestick were in production for many years but others including the Henshall basket, were probably first introduced in Paris.

 Featured item: The International Centrepiece

International Centrepiece

Belleek Pottery was represented at the Paris Exposition displaying a number of products including a flowered mirror, flowered table centres and numerous baskets and flowered pedestal pots. However, the crowning piece was the International Centrepiece, a magnificent vase standing over 30” high with pierced details and decorated with an array of hand applied flowers. The vase stands on a pedestal,  with three Irish Wolfhounds linked, as if guarding the centrepiece.

To find out more about the International Centrepiece seen in the foyer of Belleek Visitor’s Centre click on the link:

Featured Item Flowered Mirrors/Picture Frames

Flowered mirrors or picture frames were a relatively late introduction into the Belleek design portfolio and the earliest examples are shown in the 1881 “Belleek Old Photograph Album”

To discover more about Belleek flowered frames click on this link:

Flowered Mirrors & Frames

1904 Belleek Catalogue (Display 6)

                                 Display 6

Although Belleek previously issued trade catalogues, this listing is believed to be the first one to also feature pictures of the product. The catalogue shows a wide selection of Earthenware and Stoneware as well as the more recently developed China tea sets.

 These China tea sets  including the Neptune Tea set, (seen below) were developed in the latter twenty years of the 19 th century by a team of modellers trained by William Gallimore.

These included Michael Maguire believed responsible for the development of the Shamrock tea set and James Cleary (Thistle teaset). The latter succeeded William Gallimore as head of the Art department and who became manager of the pottery in 1886.  

In 1894 Frederick Slater arrived from Stoke-on-Trent to become head of the Art department, He develops a wide selection of new tea sets including Cone, Finner, Lily and Harp Shamrock. The 1904 catalogue offered twenty- eight different Parian ware tea sets for sale.As well, largely featuring in this catalogue are Jardinières and flowered vases.

William Henshall heads a small department of ten or so flowerers but their creativity is prodigious including pieces such as the Table Centre and hitherto un-flowered pieces such as the Thistle vase and Aberdeen Vase were revamped by adding hand crafted flowers.

“Novelties or Fancies” are another innovation introducing smaller vases, pots and assorted giftware. These were less costly to produce and were popular gifts in the early years of the new century.

1928 Catalogue (Display 7)

                               Display 7

The Belleek Pottery Works Company was sold in 1919 to a group of businessmen; Bernard O’Rourke, John O’Neill, James Keown, Neil McMahon and Joseph Dolan. The new firm began trading as Belleek Pottery Limited. Economies were made; large figurines, centrepieces and heavily decorated tea sets were all discontinued.

 It was not until K. E’ Leod Kandee arrived as manager in 1922 that much thought was given to developing new designs. He employed fellow Hungarian Madam Boroniuxz to design new giftware and tea ware. A gifted designer she worked alongside Fred Slater to create various embossed and printed patterns taken from the Book of Kells. The earlier Ring handle tea set is adapted to her Celtic pattern by adding a printed outline design and decorating it with hand painted colours.

The new Tea ware included the earlier Low Celtic set, designed in the early years of the Century possibly by Alice Jacob, a gifted Lace & Gesso designer who was in the forefront of the Irish “Arts & Crafts” movement of the late 19 th and early 20 th Century.

Belleek introduced its third mark in 1926. This was similar to the previous mark but has an additional round mark with the Gaelic words “ deanta in eirinn ” meaning made in Ireland with the added trade registry mark 0857. This mark is used on both Parian and Earthenware, on the latter, only until 1934.

There is a large section featuring religious fonts and figurines. These were in fact all introduced before 1914.

Omitted from the catalogue are earthenware and stoneware products. The latter category was discontinued in 1919.

1949 Catalogue (Display 8)

The inter war years were a difficult time for Belleek and by the early 1930’s it was thought that the pottery should concentrate on  manufacturing earthenware product and cease production of the more expensive baskets and Parian products.

 All this changed with the arrival of Harry Arnold as manager in 1933. He had previously worked for Copeland Spode and was definite about continuing China production. Earthenware was trademarked “Melvin ware” so to differentiate it from the more expensive “Parian China ware.” which retained the wolfhound harp and round tower mark.

                                Display 8

In 1940, Eric Arnold, his son, succeeded him as Pottery manager. Eric’s first years were a struggle in keeping the Pottery operational during the Second World War. Production was reduced, as it became difficult to obtain coal and other raw materials.

The years after the war brought new challenges including cheaper production methods and Belleek found that it could no longer compete with other earthenware manufacturers. In 1946 a new mark in green the fourth, was introduced and it was decided to cease making earthenware and concentrate solely on the production of Parian.

The 1949 catalogue differs very little from the 1928 catalogue. It features the Mask tea set (introduced in the mid 1930’s) whilst some like the Tridacna Coffee Set (shown below) continued to be popular. A small colour section shows the new styles of painting for the New Shell, Limpet and other existing teaware designs.

Most of these new decorative designs are the work of Cyril Arnold, brother of Eric and a very talented ceramic artist. His ideas would influence much of the decorative designs in the following years.

1962 Catalogue (Display 9)

                             Display 9

The catalogue introduced in 1962 is very different in style and layout to the previous catalogue. The product numbering system is changed again eliminating the anomalies that have grown since the more radical change in 1926.

An introduction by journalist Malachy Hynes describes his visit to the Pottery. He is greatly impressed by the craftsmanship and beauty of Belleek. He describes hand crafted flowers being made:

  “In some cases as many as seventy tiny petals go into the making of just one of those blossoms. Almost forgotten now were the skills of those other craftsmen in the fascination of seeing little blobs of moist clay in the fingers of the flowerers grow into delightfully realistic leafy decorations, all so perfect, they seem to have grown as naturally there as ivy does on the crags along the Erne”

There is a large colour section featuring a selection of product including hand crafted baskets. Baskets had been offered for sale with colour decoration since 1949 but by 1962 this decoration becomes the standard and most popular form of painting baskets.

Two of the First mark tea sets Echinus and Grass were re-introduced into the range. With the latter teaset the major difference is that the teapot and kettle spout are changed from the first mark styled ducks head to a plain spout.

The Pottery is enjoying a time of relative prosperity with order books full. Major refurbishment is undertaken with the introduction of new electric kilns and the building of new workshops.

In 1965 the third green mark is introduced which is smaller in size omitting the words “County Fermanagh.”  The US registry mark “R” is placed over the harp on the trademark.

1978 Catalogue (Display 10)

This catalogue is in full colour with many pictures of the pieces photographed in home settings. For the first time there is a brief history of the Pottery and a description of the process of making Parian. At this time with the quality of the photography, printing techniques and layout, the catalogue was considered a major step in revamping the image of the Belleek Pottery product range.

The sales of giftware are becoming more important and this is reflected in the reduced number of tea sets. There are six sets remaining, these are; Tridacna, Limpet, New Shell, Neptune, Harp shamrock and Shamrock.

The continuing popularity of Shamrock tea ware is mirrored in the extensive number of pieces featuring in the catalogue.

                                    Display 10

There are no new shamrock designs though this remains the most popular and enduring of all Belleek’s production output.

In 1970 Belleek introduced its first Annual plate featuring Castlecaldwell. Jim Kirkwood from the Kilkenny Design Centre designed it. This heralds many years of co-operation on various projects, including The Kilkenny tea set (shown left) was introduced in 1972 but interestingly is not featured in the 1978 catalogue.

Belleek introduce boxed packaging for the first time in the late 1970s with the now familiar green box and lidded boxes with satin for the handcrafted baskets.

In 1980 the trademark stamp was changed to a gold colour. This mark, the seventh, continued in use up until 1993.

The Belleek Visitors Book 1868 – 1884

The first entry is dated October 1st 1868 and is signed by the Earl & Countess of Lanesborough of Lanesborough Lodge, Belturbet, Co Cavan.

Captain John Vansittart Danvers Butler, 6th Earl of Lanesborough was born on 18 April 1839. He was the son of Captain Charles Augustus Butler Danvers and Letitia Rudyard Ross Freese. He married Anne Elisabeth Clark daughter of the Reverend John Dixon Clark, on 21 June 1864.

The Earls of Lanesborough were extensive landowners in both Ireland and England and held estates in Co Cavan and Fermanagh. The villages of Newtownbutler in Co Fermanagh and Butlersbridge in Co Cavan are named after the family.

They arrived accompanied by Viscount and Lady Templetown from Castle Upton, Templepatrick Co Antrim.

George Frederick Upton sat as a Conservative MP for Antrim from 1858 to 1863. In 1866 he became an Irish Representative Peer and sat in the House of Lords as Lord Templetown.

We cannot know if the Visitors Book was purchased specially for the visit of these important visitors but the arrival of such well-connected persons would have certainly been considered well worth recording to impress other visitors who in turn would also record their names.

In the weeks and months that followed many other important visitors are noted. Lord and Lady Enniskillen, Miss Brooke of Ashbrooke Co Fermanagh along with Miss Bloomfield daughter of John Caldwell Bloomfield of Castlecaldwell. Late in December 1868 Mr Richardson the High Sheriff of Co Fermanagh also visited the Pottery.

The first visitor from England is Archibald Anson from Longfield Rectory in Derbyshire signed his name in January 1869.

This entry is followed by a long list of persons from the titled aristocracy of the day to the landed gentry to visitors to the locality.

This latter category would increase in volume over the next decade with the popularity of travelling by train on holiday excursions.

The railway connection from Belleek opened in 1866. Another category visiting were returned emigrants who had made good in the New World and were able to travel back across the Atlantic, to visit the land of their birth. These included Rev William McNulty of Passaic, New Jersey visiting Ballyshannon, also Thomas McElderry Sinclair and his wife Caroline of Cedar Falls, Idaho visiting their families in Belfast.

Today we are ever mindful of the potential of tourism and in particular Belleek has been successfully attracting large numbers of visitors over the last twenty-five years with its Visitors centre and factory tour that encompasses every aspect of the making of Belleek fine porcelain. So it is perhaps surprising that the founders of Belleek had already seen the potential of attracting visitors.

The visit of The Earl & Countess of Spencer, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and his wife on May 12th 1870 was a remarkable event and it gave the fledgling Pottery an tremendous endorsement by the Viceroy, Queen Victoria’s representative in Ireland. He later placed an order for a dinner service with his family crest and a porcelain tea service of the Echinus pattern also with his family crest.

His visit is recorded by a report printed in the Irish Times.

Can’t wait for your tour? Shop Belleek Online

Sign up to our mailing list.

Keep up to date with the latest news from Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre 

Email Address

• Vacation Rentals
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Elektrostal Tourism
• Elektrostal Hotels
• Elektrostal Bed and Breakfast
• Flights to Elektrostal
• Elektrostal Restaurants
• Things to Do in Elektrostal
• Elektrostal Travel Forum
• Elektrostal Photos
• Elektrostal Map
• All Elektrostal Hotels
• Elektrostal Hotel Deals
• Elektrostal Hostels
• Elektrostal Business Hotels
• Elektrostal Family Hotels
• Elektrostal Spa Resorts
• 3-stars Hotels in Elektrostal
• Elektrostal Hotels with Banquet hall
• Elektrostal Hotels with Game room
• Hotels near Electrostal History and Art Museum
• Hotels near Park of Culture and Leisure
• Hotels near Statue of Lenin
• Hotels near Museum and Exhibition Center
• Hotels near Museum of Labor Glory
• Hotels near (ZIA) Zhukovsky International Airport
• Hotels near (VKO) Vnukovo Airport
• Hotels near (DME) Domodedovo Airport
• Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
• Xafira Deluxe Resort & Spa
• Excalibur Hotel & Casino
• Giraffe Manor
• Jules Undersea Lodge
• Aruba Ocean Villas
• Royalton Riviera Cancun
• Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
• Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
• Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa
• Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana
• Luxor Hotel & Casino
• Grand Hyatt Baha Mar
• Ocean Casino Resort
• Popular All-Inclusive Resorts
• Popular Beach Resorts
• Popular Family Resorts
• Popular All-Inclusive Hotels
• Popular Hotels With Waterparks
• Popular Honeymoon Resorts
• Popular Luxury Resorts
• Popular All-Inclusive Family Resorts
• Popular Golf Resorts
• Popular Spa Resorts
• Popular Cheap Resorts
• All Elektrostal Restaurants
• Restaurants near Restaurant Globus
• Cafés in Elektrostal
• Chinese Restaurants in Elektrostal
• European Restaurants for Families in Elektrostal
• European Restaurants for Large Groups in Elektrostal
• European Restaurants for Lunch in Elektrostal
• Fast Food Restaurants in Elektrostal
• French Restaurants in Elektrostal
• Italian Restaurants in Elektrostal
• Japanese Restaurants in Elektrostal
• Pizza in Elektrostal
• Russian Restaurants in Elektrostal
• Seafood Restaurants in Elektrostal
• Vegetarian Restaurants in Elektrostal
• GreenLeaders
• Elektrostal
• Things to Do
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center
• Europe    
• Russia    
• Central Russia    
• Moscow Oblast    
• Elektrostal    
• Elektrostal Restaurants    

Restaurant Globus

Ratings and reviews, location and contact, restaurant globus, elektrostal - restaurant reviews & photos - tripadvisor.