A path leading from the foreground of this little cup plate invites us to join the man standing quietly at the open gate.  The  rustic cottage on the short rise behind him would have signaled the nineteenth century consumer that this pattern paid tribute to idyllic country life. 

Dating from the 1820's, this medium blue transfer pearlware scene is actually the adaptation of a larger landscape tailored for cup plate size.  Generally known as "Village Church," the full scene features a second rustic at the open gate, sheep in the nearby meadow, additional thatch roof buildings, and a prominent country village church.  Both this variation and the larger pattern are framed in a distinct assortment of flowers featuring prominent roses and a tight printed band of scallop detail at the rim.

A.W. Coysh illustrates the "Village Church" pattern in Blue and White Transfer Ware, 1780-1840 (p. 100, pl. 150).  The listing is further explored in his publication with R.K.Henrywood, The Dictionary of Blue and White Printed Pottery 1780-1880 (p. 386). In this work, they note that the pattern seems to have been offered by multiple potters.  While mostly unmarked, examples are known bearing the name "Rural Village" as well as a London retailer's mark.  In their  second volume , they note that a single piece had been located with a Clews mark.

While "Village Church" pays tribute to the idyllic country life, it also plays on the  reaction of unease the British were experiencing with the rapid industrial growth of the early nineteenth century.