Compton Pottery is known for its large ornamental pots, birdbaths, garden ornaments and sundials, they range from terracotta to coloured tiled pieces.
It was set up by Mary Seaton Fraser Tyler Watts, wife of the famous painter George Watts. The couple had moved from London to the village of Compton in Surrey in the 1890s and Mary, finding clay deposits in the grounds of the house, started the pottery to give the poor of Compton employment. William de Morgan helped with the installation of the wood-fired kiln.
The pottery ran from 1899 to the mid-1950s, becoming a limited company in 1936. Designers were recruited from George Watts's artistic circle of friends, and many top names such as Alfred Gilbert and Archibald Knox provided designs for garden ornaments, decorative pots and utensils. Wares were sold through Liberty, and the Guild's clientele included many eminent people. The pottery remained a successful industry, providing employment in the village until 1956.
