The Peak, Craftsmanship and the Everyday Wonders on our Doorstep:

POSTED NOVEMBER 10, 2017

Introducing our new Millstones Collection handcrafted in Sheffield

We’ve got a treat for anyone with a passion for The Peak District this Christmas with the launch of our new Millstones Collection of handcrafted pewter gifts. These include flasks, tankards, bowls and trinket boxes, which have been adorned with iconic motifs of Peak District millstones, then handmade one piece at a time, right here at Wentworth Pewter, our works in Sheffield.

As a hiker and long-distance runner, our senior designer, Jayne is also passionate about The Peak. Born and bred in north Sheffield, she’s taken inspiration from the millstones which can be found scattered across our hills and moors and the striking countryside that she grew up in.

As well as creating her own millstone patterns, the collection features the distinctive textures covering the surface of each millstone and which Jayne meticulously researched. Each piece has then been handmade by our craftspeople at Wentworth Pewter, one of the last remaining pewter factories in the UK, using traditional skills that have been around for more than five hundred years.

A marker of our connection to The Peak

Many of us who live in Sheffield are also lovers of that big, beautiful outdoor playground, The Peak District. Whether you’re out hiking, climbing, cycling or walking the dog, sooner or later you’ll spot the familiar form of a millstone dotted across the landscape.

As one of the vestiges of the region’s industrial heritage from as early as the 13th century, millstones were used for grinding grain, milling wheat, sharpening tools and grinding in the cutlery trade. Today the familiar wheel-shaped millstones are used as boundary markers on key gateways into the national park. They are as connected with The Peak as the gritstone edges, heather and peaty moorland where they’ve come to rest.

Jayne explains:

“I find it fascinating how millstones can be found dotted around our hills and moors, like our beautiful Stanage Edge. I like the fact that they are often made of gritstone, one of the natural materials of our area, extracted to literally help the wheels of industry turn, but have been returned to where the rock once came from.”

“I feel that there are strong connections between millstones and pewtersmithing and how they both reflect craftsmanship, skill and tradition. What’s more it never ceases to amaze me how I can be working in our factory in the heart of industrial Darnall and in less than 20 minutes I can be in the middle of our stunning countryside. The Millstones Collection is a celebration of our region’s industrial heritage, the beauty of The Peak and the everyday wonders on my doorstep.”

Shop the Millstones Collection 

Visit our shop to buy the Millstones Collection, the perfect handmade Christmas gift for anyone with a passion for The Peak District.