Maer Hall, near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Maer Hall, near Stoke-on-Trent, the family home of Darwin's wife Emma © David Leff
Maer Hall was the Wedgwood family home, located near to the Wedgwood factory.
Maer Hall
Maer Hall was the family home of Emma Wedgwood, who was born there in 1808. The house was near to the Wedgwood factory owned by Emma’s father Josiah Wedgwood, who was also Charles’ uncle.
Charles Darwin was a frequent visitor in his youth. He greatly enjoyed the countryside for walking and shooting and the informal evenings with the Wedgwood family. It was in the fields around Maer that Charles first investigated the role of earthworms, recording that cinders spread on the surface became buried over several years.
St Peter's Church © David Leff
After his return from the Beagle voyage, his attentions turned to courting Emma and they married in the church in the grounds. Charles and Emma continued to make frequent visits to Maer Hall with their growing family, spending many summer holidays there.
Maer Hall is not open to the public but you can visit the Wedgwood Visitor Centre near by.
St Peter's Church
Charles married Emma in 1839, two weeks before his thirtieth birthday, at St Peter’s church in the grounds of the Jacobean mansion.
Toolbox
The first collected specimen of Theobroma cacao, the plant from which chocolate is made, is kept in the Museum.
