The metal information sign is situated next to a pair of calcining kilns. The Oliver's Mill site is a former calcining works located on Newport Lane and close to bridge 123 over the Trent and Mersey Canal.
The two kilns one cylindrical and one square are Grade II listed.
Description by Historic England.
List entry Number: 1297928
"Former calcining works. Late C19. Brick with plain tiled roofs. L-plan. Works comprise a 2-storeyed workshop range parallel with canal, with five blocked windows and upper loading doors. At right-angles to this, a single-storeyed range, once open on a series of arcaded arches now filled in. At the east of the site, a pair of calcining kilns adjoin the workshop range: one a narrow cylindrical form, the other square in section, with heavily moulded cap, and chimney to rear." (
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The mill was built in 1909 by Oliver & Sons of Burslem. It was situated adjacent to the canal for easy transport of the raw and finished material.
The kilns were used for firing flint stones to make them friable for grinding or milling. The finely ground flints were added to clay by potters to add strength and whiteness to their finished products.
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Information on the sign reads as follows:-
" Potteries Preservation Trust
Stoke-on-Trent Bottle Overns Conservation Scheme
OLIVER'S MILL SITE
Three Grade II listed calcining bottle ovens
'Jumbo', 'Middle', & 'Office'
These were used for firing flint stones to make them friable for subsequent grinding or milling. The finely ground flints could then be added by pottery manufactures to their clays to give whiteness and greater strength to their finished products.
The ovens were built by Oliver & Sons (Burslem)Ltd in 1909 at the same time as the rest of their mill. They were loaded at this upper level with a mix of coke and flint stones, fired up for three days and then unloaded at the lower level and the contents sieved to remove coal ash residue prior to conveying the fractured flints to the grinding pans. the ovens were perhaps last fired about 1964.
On this site WBB Minerals still produces milled ceramic materials for the pottery industry.
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Repaired by the Potteries Preservation Trust
in 2004 with funding from
the Heritage Lottery Fund,
the Staffordshire Environmental Fund
via the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
and the site owner
WBB Minerals Ltd
WBB MINERALS
WBB
Conservation architects: Christopher Taylor Design Ltd
(emblems of the following)
Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund
City of Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire Environmental
British Ceramic Confederation"