Staffordshire Day winning plates now on display at Tamworth Castle

Tamworth Castle visitors can now enjoy a special display of colourful ceramic plates designed by talented primary school pupils as part of the Staffordshire Day celebrations.

The exhibition features the winning designs from nine Year 4 and 5 pupils, each depicting what Staffordshire means to them. The competition to design a plate for Staffordshire Day was organised by We Are Staffordshire, the place marketing delivery organisation for the county and the artwork was brought to life by Stoke-on-Trent based Duchess China 1888, in celebration of the county’s proud pottery-making heritage.

The winners were announced earlier this year as part of Staffordshire Day (1 May) celebrations, and now the winning pottery is on tour and on display at Tamworth Castle.

Councillor Lewis Smith, portfolio holder for people services, engagement and leisure, heritage, for Tamworth Borough Council, said: “We’re thrilled to have these wonderful plates on display at Tamworth Castle. They capture the spirit of Staffordshire perfectly, from its beautiful countryside and historic landmarks to the traditions that make our county unique.

“It’s inspiring to see the imagination and talent of our young people brought to life in such a creative way – and the fact that these designs have been crafted by skilled local ceramic makers makes it even more special. It’s also wonderful to see the artwork and plate designed by local winner, Primrose Castagna-Curtis.

“Tamworth Castle is proud to play a part in celebrating Staffordshire and to give residents and visitors the chance to enjoy this display in such a historic setting. We’d encourage everyone to come along, explore the castle, and see these plates for themselves while they’re here.”

Hannah Ault DL, Chair of We Are Staffordshire’s Place Board and Managing Director of Valentine Clays, said: “As Chair of We Are Staffordshire and President of Ceramics UK, I am absolutely thrilled to be celebrating the incredible creativity of our young people through this exciting project.

“It’s exciting to be able to share these plates with the public across the county. We’re proud to be the home of ceramics so there’s no better place to showcase the designs.

“The passion of young people for our county is clear to see and the project has been a wonderful reminder of everything that makes our county such a special place to live, work, and create. I’d really urge you to see them for yourself.”

The winners are:

· Gabriela Constantin – Chesterton Primary School

· Harry Cartlidge – Cheadle Primary School

· Primrose Castagna-Curtis – St Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School, Tamworth

· Luca Ebrahimi – St Mary’s Catholic Academy, Norton

· Sofia – Horninglow Primary School, Burton upon Trent

· Mila McGeown – Tillington Manor Primary School, Stafford

· Isla Heminsley – The John Bamford Primary School, Rugeley

· Tom West – St Michael’s Primary School, Lichfield

· Natasha Harry – Perton Primary Academy

The plates are currently ‘on tour’ of the county and have been displayed at locations including the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Burton Brewhouse Arts Centre, the Staffordshire History Centre and Lichfield Cathedral. Following their display at Tamworth Castle, they will be moved to their permanent home at the Spode Museum in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Staffordshire plate exhibition is on display now at Tamworth Castle until 16th October.

You can also combine your visit with Heritage Open Days 2025. On Sunday 14 and Saturday 20 September, visitors to the castle can discover newly acquired archive collections on local farms, meet the collections team and local contributors, and hear stories from the town’s young farming community.

This display includes the artwork ‘Champion’ the bull, part of the castle’s growing rural archive. Please note that entry is included with a general admission ticket price. No pre-booking required, but tickets can be reserved through the castle’s booking page: general admission ticket page.