If you are looking for a new sink, you may be surprised by the vast assortment of designs and styles which are on offer to you.  Modern sinks can often have distinctive characteristics, and you will find a plethora of designs which include waste disposals, drainers, and double bowl options.  Sinks are usually modelled from clay or fashioned from stainless steel, and many are guaranteed to last a lifetime. This means that when you select a new sink, you will want to select a design which will be practical for many years to come. As you browse through the available sink ranges, it won’t be long before you encounter three very similar ceramic sinks, which all have different names.  The Butler, Belfast, and French Farmhouse sinks are usually large, single bowl designs (although other options are available), and you may find yourself wondering why they have such different names. The answer lies several centuries ago, back to a time when many households had butlers, who in turn had their own pantry, complete with sink. In the late 17^th century, when the ceramic sink was increasing in popularity, many cities had a sanitation officer who was responsible for controlling water consumption. Each city had its own particular set of regulations regarding the size of sink that could be installed. The water supply in Belfast was much more plentiful than that in many UK cities, such as London, whose water needed to be drawn from deep wells.  Consequently, London Butler sinks were often shallower and designed without a weir overflow to try to encourage people to conserve water, while those made in Belfast came complete with an overflow weir.  So common was this design to the Northern Irish Capital, that eventually the Belfast Butler sink became known as simply the Belfast sink. Traditionally, both Belfast and Butler sinks have been manufactured from fireclay, a robust clay which is resistant to extremes of temperature. Naturally occurring fireclay is commonly obtained from areas around coal mines, however, it can also be created by adding crushed pre-fired ceramic to finer clay. Creating a perfect fireclay sink is, by necessity, a long, drawn-out process. First, clay is mixed with water to create a treacle-like consistency, and the resulting liquid is poured into a two piece plaster mould. This mould is then left for a period of time to allow the clay to partially dry out. When the mould is opened, the clay is still very wet, and any imperfections are smoothed out by using a damp sponge. The sink is then taken to the ‘greenhouse’, a large hot room which is kept at a consistent temperature, to dry further. Once the clay has dried sufficiently, the sinks are coated, first with a white vitreous china called ‘engobe’ which provides a base for the glaze, and then with a mixture of finely ground glass, water and a cellulose binder.  Finally, the sinks travel on trolleys through long tunnel kilns which are heated to 1300^oF. This production process cannot be rushed, and the methods used today have altered little over the last 100 years. Many firms, such as Shaws of Darwen take great pride in the skills utilised by their Master Craftsmen when creating their sinks, and operate rigorous training programmes to ensure that the sinks produced are of the highest quality. To become a Master Craftsman can take around 10 years. The French Farmhouse sink is similar in style to the Butler sink, however, in France, the natural clay used to make ceramic sinks is much more refined than that of the UK. This means that French Farmhouse sinks tend to have much thinner walls, and are more elegantly constructed than their British counterparts. Though the French Farmhouse sink does not appear as robust as either the Butler or Belfast sink, the superb production methods employed during its manufacture make it a strong and durable option. Some French manufacturers have utilised the elegance of the Farmhouse sink to their advantage. Chambord, for example, have a stunning range which includes the Bleu de Sevres line. The Bleu de Sevres sinks are manufactured in a rich, mottled blue which combines echoes of the renaissance with a contemporary twist. The company also produce pretty patterned sinks which look stunning in a country kitchen. Whichever design you eventually decide to invest in, you can be certain that if you choose a Butler, Belfast or Farmhouse sink you are investing in a product which has proven its worth for generations, and will continue to do so in the years to come.