Villa Bologna Pottery

Villa Bologna Pottery is one of Malta’s oldest and best-known ceramic workshops. It was founded in Attard in 1924, on the grounds of the Baroque Villa Bologna, which has been owned by the de Trafford family for more than a century.

The workshop began as St Mary’s Ceramics, established by Margaret Strickland (née Hulton) and her friend Count Giuseppe Teuma Castelletti. After World War I, they wanted to create work for local artisans and revive handmade production on the island.

During World War II, the pottery was destroyed, but the surviving moulds were moved to the villa’s stables — where the workshop still operates today.

In the 1950s, Cecilia de Trafford, daughter of the founders, revived the pottery with the help of British artists Charles Bone and Sheila Mitchell. Together they created the designs that defined the Villa Bologna style — bright, hand-painted ceramics inspired by Maltese architecture and nature.

Iconic pieces like the Pineapple Lamp (1967) and the Dolphin Lamp are still made today, using original moulds and glazes.

Since 2020, the pottery has been run by Sophie and Rowley Edwards together with Jasper de Trafford, the fourth generation of the family. They continue to produce lamps, tableware and home décor by hand, keeping the historic moulds and local craftsmanship alive.

The shop and workshop are next to each other, inside the villa’s former stables, where visitors can see the artisans at work and buy pieces directly. In the gardens, the Villa Bologna Restaurant serves Italian food in a quiet, relaxed setting — a perfect stop after a visit to the pottery.