Historic Sharpe's Pottery museum in Swadlincote is celebrating landing £60,000 in National Lottery cash which it will use to 'secure its future'.

The money will be spent on an 18-month project entitled "securing the future", aimed at making sure the museum, which includes a visitors' centre, flourishes over the next 15 years.

The venue was a working pottery based in West Street, Swadlincote, opening in 1821 and manufactured domestic pottery, like plates and cups, but stopped producing pots altogether in 1900. It then instead concentrated on producing sanitary goods, like toilets and sinks.

The factory closed for good in 1967 and sat unused until it reopened in 2003 as a museum, which now tells the rich history of the old pottery.

The money will be used to pay for the 18-month project of a review into the museum's purpose and how it needs to be changed to continue to run successfully, and then implementing any projects identified.

Sharpe's Pottery in Swadlincote
Sharpe's Pottery Museum

The internal layout of the venue will also be reviewed.

Ron Lane, chairman of the trust, said: "This is really good news, not just for us but for the wider area.

"We have spent a great deal of time and energy building our reputation.

"We get in excess of 60,000 visitors a year, we remain free to enter and we continually look to improve the visitor experience.

"This project will allow us to take stock of where we are and plan the next stage on our journey.

"The heritage of this area has a national significance and our aim is to preserve it for future generations.

"This National Lottery grant really does help us to do that. We are looking forward to working with the local community to get this right."

Chairman of the trust, Ron Lane
Chairman of the trust, Ron Lane

In the last 15 years, bosses at the Grade II listed venue have invested money to improve Sharpe's Pottery, including spending £280,000 on a coffee shop, conference room refurbishment and play area, among others.

There was also a project completed to protect the pottery's distinctive kiln hovel and conserve it.

The lottery money will be used to look to the future and will see a full review of the museum's purpose and how changing climates can be tackled.

There will also be a full review into the internal layout of the museum, and bosses will seek the views of all those involved with the centre.

Jonathon Platt, head of Heritage Lottery Funding for the East Midlands, said: "I'm delighted that, thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support the museum to progress its vision for the future.

"This comprehensive project will ensure this valuable local asset and the trust that manages it will be strengthened for years to come."

Figurines made at Sharpe's Pottery

The history of Sharpe's Pottery

The West Street based visitor attraction in Swadlincote was first built by a farmer called Thomas Sharpe, in 1821.

Originally domestic pottery was made on the site, which was exported as far as America.

In the 1850s, the sanitary ware market in Britain boomed, with the local clay ideal of creating these product at Sharpe's Pottery.

The creation of pots stopped in 1900, with concentration instead concentrating on the sanitary ware, such as toilets and sinks.

A £30,000 play area on site at Sharpe's Pottery
A £30,000 play area on site at Sharpe's Pottery

Sharpe's factory closed in 1967, following the introduction of the Clean Air Acts by the Government requiring an improvement on regulation for the environment. As the factory did not modernise, it ceased production.

The museum then opened in 2003 with its iconic kiln at the centre of building.

There are a number of exhibits and gallerys displayed at the museum, including a 'hands on' National Forest gallery detailing what the landscape is like and how it had been damaged by the coal and clay industries.

Another gallery, surrounding specifically South Derbyshire potteries includes a scale model of the factory when it was a working pottery.

A temporary gallery can be seen at the museum in June and July, entitled "The National Forest on Camera".

This comes from the Hicks Lodge Photography Group to celebrate the scene that can be seen around the National Forest.

Sharpe's Pottery is open from Monday to Saturday, 10am until 4.30pm. The museum shuts on Sundays and bank holidays.