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Win a family ticket to Dartington Crystal

Dartington Glass was established in 1967, in Torrington, Devon, as a manufacturer of quality glassware. Since then it has developed and evolved many ranges of crystal and glassware based on its key skills of design and glassmaking.

The story began in the 1920s, at the beautiful Dartington Hall in Devon, when a wealthy American heiress and her Yorkshire man husband, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhurst , founded the Dartington Hall Trust. Based at Dartington, near Totnes, South Devon. Their original vision was to assist the economic regeneration of rural areas through a combination of enterprises spanning business, education, the arts and country crafts.

The Dartington Hall Trust soon became a multi-faceted concern with a diverse range of interests from cheese making, carpentry, farming, forestry and education, through to the conducting of research into rural communities.

During the early 1960s, it became evident to the trust that to the north of the county there was an ever-increasing demand for new industry due to population migration to the cities. This depopulation and the lack of employment for young people were the basis for which the idea of a glass-making factory evolved.

In order to provide the expertise required for this enterprising idea, the trust recruited its first managing director, Eskil Vilhemson, from a Swedish Glass manufacturer, who in turn recruited a team of Scandinavian glass blowers and brought them to Devon. The factory was officially opened in June 1967 when it employed just 35 people.

Over the following years, glass blowing skills were taught to English craftsmen, working originally to Scandinavian designs and later to the work of British designers. Many of the original glass blowers remained in Torrington and have been a key strength over the years in developing Dartington Crystal into the leading name in English crystal.

Around 200,000 people visit Dartington each year and it is a great day out for all the family. Whilst there you will learn about the 40 years of history with Dartington Crystal at the audio visual theatre, follow the Dartington timeline from 1967 to present day, then watch the expert master engraving demonstration; even buy that special piece and have it personalised. You can then watch the live demonstration of studio glassmaking and try the many hands on activities on offer.