Alongside our national and international activities, the MLPRG also supports a network of Regional Groups around the UK. Through a programme of regular in-person meetings, Regional Groups focus on pottery from archaeological sites of local importance to their region – although the issues and finds discussed are often of national or international importance as well!
Groups typically hold meetings once or twice a year at museums, universities, archaeological units, or other institutions with medieval and later pottery collections. Meetings are attended by pottery specialists, archaeologists, researchers, students, heritage professionals, and members of the public with a general interest in medieval and later pottery who wish to discuss the pottery from their region and share their recent work. It is not necessary to be a member of the MLPRG to attend a local meeting, however we encourage you to consider joining in order to stay up to date with the Group’s activities and to receive the Groop’s annual journal, Medieval Ceramics.
We have a number of active and lively Regional Groups holding regular meetings across England. You can find out more about them below, and visit our events page for details of upcoming meetings. If you cannot see a regional group in your area and you would be interested in getting support to start one, we would be delighted to hear from you. A new Regional Group Toolkit is available to help you get started and understand what is involved, as well as organisational and practical support for your first meeting(s).
North West Region
The North West Regional Group covers North West England from Cheshire to the Scottish border. They aim to hold one meeting a year, and meetings have been held recently in Liverpool, Lancaster and Chester.
South West and South Central Region
The South West and South Central Regional Group covers the area from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, through Devon and Somerset, and into Southern England including the South Coast. Originally two separate groups, due to their proximity and the overlap of regional pottery types the SW and SC groups merged in 2025. The group usually holds two meetings a year, in Spring and Autumn. Meetings typically consist of a morning of talks from regional specialists on their current work, and an afternoon of handling archaeological pottery from the host collection. The group welcomes anyone with an interest in archaeological pottery, including enthusiasts and members of the public. Recent meetings have included visits to Salisbury, the Mary Rose Museum at the Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth, the English Heritage regional archaeology store.
Contact our Regional Groups Officer on regionalgroups@medandlaterpottery.org.uk for information about upcoming meetings in your areas or to establish a new Regional Group.