Donor: Mrs Sheila E Hoey Middleton

Production place: Korea

Date range: Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 CE) to 20th century 

Size of collection: around 2,000 sherds

This collection was created by Sheila E. Hoey Middleton, widow of Lawrence Middleton CMG, British Ambassador to South Korea from 1986 to 1990 and later Chairman of the Anglo-Korean Society from 1995-2002. During the time Mrs Middleton lived in South Korea, she oversaw the redevelopment of part of the British Embassy grounds, which stands on the north-east side of Deoksugung (덕수궁), one of the historic palaces of Seoul. The majority of the material donated to the Oriental Museum in 2024 originates from the British Embassy site and includes sherds of ceramics that reflect changing tastes and usages over several hundred years. Examples of baekja (white porcelain), cheongja (celadon) and buncheong ceramics are included in the collection alongside examples of roof tiles and earthenware vessels. Mrs Middleton also donated pieces from her collection to the V&A and Ashmolean museums.

This material has been catalogued by a group of dedicated volunteers over an 18-month period, creating a new research resource. Initial research into the collection will be displayed as part of the Korea Gallery from 2027 onwards.