Stoke-on-Trent has been shaped by the pottery industry for over 300 years and is affectionately known the world over as 'The Potteries'. From small-scale beginnings in the mid-seventeenth century, the abundance of coal and clay meant that the pottery industry grew and became rooted in the area. The industry flourished through revolutionary ideas and the development of ceramic manufacturing techniques by Master Potters such as Wedgwood. The industry has remained in the area thanks to the skills of the local people, and today, ceramics is a modern industry, and Stoke-on-Trent is still famous for its quality ware which is sold all over the world. Stoke-on-Trent is officially recognised as the World Capital of Ceramics with an unrivalled heritage and a very bright future.