Free Torc Odyssey talk comes to Stoke-on-Trent
Gold objects found across Staffordshire will take centre stage at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery when archaeologist Tess Machling examines how Iron Age torcs were made—and why some may have been buried long after their creation.
The free talk, titled The Torc Odyssey: Iron Age gold in Staffordshire, takes place on Saturday, 25 July 2026, from 2pm to 3.30pm. The venue is The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 3DW.
Admission is free. The event is aimed at the general public and should particularly interest people curious about archaeology, ancient craftsmanship and Staffordshire’s history.
Iron Age gold through a craftsperson’s lens
Machling is an archaeologist and researcher specialising in Iron Age gold. Her work with goldsmiths and silversmiths investigates the techniques used to make torcs and considers what those methods reveal about life more than 2,000 years ago.
During the talk, she will explore Iron Age gold torcs discovered in Staffordshire and the surrounding area. The discussion will examine how the objects were produced, their relationship to torcs found elsewhere and the circumstances in which they may have entered the ground.
One question sits at the heart of the session: although the torcs were created during the Iron Age, could some have been buried considerably later? The talk will also consider whether a broader connection exists between Staffordshire and gold finds across different periods.
Machling’s research is also presented through The Big Book of Torcs, a free-to-access website covering different aspects of torc study. No web address is provided in the event information.
Staffordshire’s gold finds span several eras
The local archaeological setting extends beyond the Iron Age. The source highlights the Bronze Age Ellastone “dress fastener”, the Iron Age Leekfrith and Alrewas torcs, and the early medieval Staffordshire Hoard as notable gold discoveries made in or around the county.
These finds provide the chronological thread for the afternoon: gold objects associated with Staffordshire range across several historical periods rather than belonging to a single discovery or era. The talk will focus on the torcs while placing them within that wider pattern.
Before Machling’s presentation, curators from The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery will give a short update on the Ellastone Dress Fastener. The museum item is the subject of the wider Ellastone Fastener Project, of which this event forms part.
The Ellastone Fastener Project continues into 2027
The talk belongs to a programme of events scheduled throughout 2026 and 2027. According to the event information published by Visit Stoke Events, the programme has been made possible through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with support attributed to National Lottery players.
The combination of the curators’ update and Machling’s specialist research means the 90-minute session will cover both the Ellastone object and the wider story of Iron Age torcs found across Staffordshire and nearby areas.
Entry details for the Potteries Museum talk
Visitors should go to The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery on Bethesda Street in Hanley for the 2pm start on Saturday, 25 July. The talk is scheduled to finish at 3.30pm and is listed as free.
The published information does not state whether advance booking is required, so visitors should not assume a reservation process from the event listing alone. The venue has issued one specific arrival instruction: access to the museum for this event will be through the café entrance beside the Spitfire Gallery.
Source: Visit Stoke Events
Context & actions About this article
Source check Source trail
The preview was prepared from the published Visit Stoke Events listing and its stated programme details.
- Confirmed the event date and scheduled time as 25 July 2026, from 2pm to 3.30pm.
- Confirmed The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Hanley as the venue.
- Confirmed that the talk is listed as free.
- Checked the stated entry instruction directing visitors to the café entrance beside the Sp...
- Source
- Visit Stoke Events
- Scope
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Updated
- 2026-07-20 18:58
Source check
Report a trust issue
Send a clear signal to community moderation if the source, facts or context need review.
Comments