Please Note: Should you require other items from the current Dartington Crystal Product Portfolio, that are not listed on our website, please feel free to contact our Customer Services Team on 01494 670961.

We are happy to source any item you may require.

Dartington Crystal is a British experiment into community revitalisation and  homegrown glass making using traditional Swedish glass blowing techniques.

The History

The story began in the 1920's 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.

During the early 1960's, 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 the 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

The Glass Making

At Dartington Crystal each piece is a true original. Individually made by a team of up to 12 craftsmen led by a master glassblower who has perfected his skills over at least 10 years. The raw materials of crystal (sand, lead oxide and other compounds) are melted in a clay pot within a special furnace at 1400 degrees.

What results is the finest British glassware, with heritage and craftsmanship.