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1 2 MAY 1971

BULLET I N OF INDUSTRIA L ARC HAEOLOGY I N CB A GROUP 9

July 1970 Number 13

17 Mayfield Roa.d, . Editor : Geoffrey H. Starmer, issues) to:- Enquiries re distribution and subscriptions (1 5/for 4 quarterly

J. Kenneth Major, 2 Eldon Road, Reading.

COUNTY INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY REPRESENTATIVES Holland Cottage, Whipsnade, Nr.Dunstable: : Mr. D.T. Goseltine, Major, 2 Eldon Road, Reading. . : Mr. J. Kenneth

1 Wordsworth Drive, Bletchley. : Dr. P.N. Jarvis, Starmer, 17 Mayfield Road, Northampton. ' : Mr. Geoffrey H. East, . : Mr. J.F. Carter, Tarvers,

in any of If there are workers pursuing industrial archaeological studies representative, it the five counties who are not yet in touch with that C6unty's so that each is hoped that contact will be established as soon as possible being representative will'have a complete record of the industrial archaeology work so that:- undertaken in his County. This will help co-ordination of the Anyone will be able to see if a particular topic is being studied and if so, by whom. relevant Anyone coming across information or material remains which are o another worker's studies will know to whom to pass the information. CONTENTS Page

Editorial: The Bulletin 2 Comment 2 'Filming an early "Diesel" engine' by Dr. P.N. Jarvis 3

'A Fulling Mill at Standlake, Oxfordshire' by Brig. F.R.L. Goadby 4

'A Berkshire Foundry' by J. Kenneth Major 6

'Breweries in Northamptonshire' by Geoffrey H. Starmer 7

'Some Northamptonshire Brickworks' by Richard O'Rourke 8

Reports of Industrial Archaeology in the Individual Counties

Bedfordshire 28 Berkshire 28 Northamptonshire 29 Oxfordshire 32 Index to Bulletins ,10-13 33 Appeals I CONFINED TO 34 THE LIBRARY THE BULLETIN During the current subscription. of the four covered by This issue is the last improvements in the content favourable comment regarding the past year there has been Bulletin. This has been 1) of production of the (If not punctuality and educational and standard especially from libraries by an increase in interest, accompanied in the number of subscribers. with a gratifying increase institutions of the costs a considerable proportion postage - which forms early Unfortunately, is to rise once again, distributing the Bulletin - involved in producing and between income and because we have no margin In anticipation of this, to ,1-5/- (7.5P) next year. increase the subscription we have had reluctantly to feel and expenditure, all of our current subscribers issues. We hope that as for the four quarterly will renew their subscriptions worth the extra cost and that the Bulletin is now soon as possible to :- .J.Kenneth Major, Esq., 2 Eldon Road, Reading relevant to welcome provided they are for this Bulletin are always of Contributions CBA Group Nine. Our interpretation in the area covered by Industrial Archaeology date barriers industrial very wide, with no artificial industrial archaeology is of interests. times come within our range activities of Roman or earlier YOU able to offer :- Are . . Bulletin before:, perhaps trying it *ont in this An article, in the journal in your own Societyls journal or publication appeals If nepessary, include !Industriel Archaeology% Line diagrams 'and maps can be. for extra information. of black, black lines (No solid areas accepted if. drawn.with 100 siie-ndt'eXCeeding 80.x please) on white paper and cif-a. - but preferably smaller. items of industrial Notes on any studies being undertaken, discovered.or likely to archaeological interest recently Please give give location, disappear in the near future. restictions on,viewing. Nat. Grid Referenoe and any give venue, exhibitions. Remember to Details of lectures and where applicable. dates, times and prices views expressed or techniques Comment on any of the article, described in the Bulletin. G.H.S.

(.0114t4E1141r

Buchanan, Bath University :- From Dr. Angus where page 35), for information about J. Palmer (Bulletin No.11 The,request from Mrs. in each county, is record caxds can be inspected the CBA industrial monument the record cards at make no provision for keeping to answer. Most counties For the counties difficult is kept in different ways. of those which do the record of the present and are undoubtedly the Editor the best people to contact covered by CBA Group 9, for a large proportion Between them they have accounted Bulletin and Mr. J.K.Major. So far as I am aware Record of Industrial Monuments. of the antries in the National their own records. in this region do not keep the county authorities concerned at the Museum & of NIMR cards are held Note: For Berkshire, copies Town Hall, Reading. Art Gallery, Reading J.K.M. by the copies of NIMR cards are taken For Northamptonshire, Copies Guildhall Road, Northampton. Central Museum & Art Gallery, nf thosp oreoared from the street surveys_in_Northamp=:=1.soml.s. - ) -

FILMING AN EARLY "DIESEL" ENGINE

by Dr. P.N. Jarvis 471f Works your film unit has After the gratifying response to the film of consequently has moved up from 8mm to decided that it could improve its technique and short effort in these media is a 16mms and is including a sound track. The first type engine built by Ruston & fifteen minute film showing a 1924 Akroyd type oil deriving ultimately from Trevithick's Hornsby. This machine is a stationary engine not only did this type horizontal mill engine of 1802. It will be remembered that tandem compounds and so forth of machine prove the ancestor of all the complicated gas engines developed during the of the northern mills, but also of the stationary oil engines patented by Herbert middle of the nineteenth century and then of the heavy which to this day for some reason Akroyd Stuart in 1890, then later of the oil engines of the modern Diesel engines are carry the name of Diesel. If the two characteristics by compression, then Herbert Akroyd those of airless admission of fuel and of ignition work these machines and to prove Stuart was undoubtedly the first man successfully to carried on in his foundry at Fenny them a commercial success. Development work was models, as Mr. Rex Wailes Stratford during the 1880's and some of the early production & Company, in the Euston Road, remarks, were made at his father's business, George Wailes Science Museum at South Kensington, . One of the early machines is preserved in the it was to them that Akroyd Stuart and another at Ruston & Hornsby's in Lincoln, because erected in Penny Stratford at eventually sold his patent. A commemorative plaque was the centenary of his birth. the site of Stuart's workshop in 1964 on the occasion of

used to run along the The post office telephone cables from London to the North Company grew towpath of the Grand.Junction Canal until the price exacted by the Street instead. At the to be too much and the cables were then laid along the Watling Canal, stands the point of intersection of the and the Grand Junction a & Hornsby model post office repeater station, and inside this building is Ruston charge the Model K Akroyd type oil engine which was used from 1924 till 1970 to engines worked batteries powering the telephone.cables. In earlier years two similar one engine went out of all the time, but later a mains transformer was installed and failure. The service. The remaining survivor was only used in the event of a mains to drive two air engine was started in a rather unusual way. The batteries were used bottles. compressors working at a 133 volts and pressing air to 300 PSI in large steel hand valves The air from these bottles was admitted to the cylinder of the engine by the engine went and moved the engine until it fired of its own accord - thereafter charged the batteries, under its own power. The engine drove generators;. which in turn engine had one cylinder, 26 and thus back to the beginning of the cycle again. The It drove a flywheel inches stroke, and 15 inches bore, and generated 84 horsepower. a shade under 10 which ran absolutely true being 9ft. 10 ins, in diameter and weighing if an absolutely steady tons. Accuracy of machining of the flywheel was essential, and the cooling electric current were to be generated. The cylinder had a water jacket at the cylinder head. apparatus ensured the running temperature never rose above 94°F. of crafty timing from a A single camshaft drove both inlet and exhaust valve by a piece the draught would draw a single eccentric. The air intake was such that it was said and not unmelodious young cat up with it. The noise of this machine was a characteristic of "Thumper". The thumping, and for this reason the engine was known by the nickname the Watling Street, film shows the post office repeater,station, next to the canal on oiling up the engine, and it shows Mr. Ken Peerless, Divisional Post Office Engineer, been recorded by starting it, running it, and shutting it down. The commentary has and Crafts Exhibition Mr. Peerless. The premiére of the film was at the Bletchley Arts soundtrack.. It in May but at that time it was rather incomplete with only a temporary film perhaps to be shown was hoped to finish the work on the soundtrack in time for the by a three cylinder at the Bath Conference in November. Thumper has noW been replaced but the old Lister engine built on the premised by Mr. Peerless and his assistants the engine stands in its original position and is likely to stay there because of difficulty of removing it from the building. The space does not appear to be wanted station for any other machinery and its future is fairly secure so long as the repeater cables continues in existence, but whether modern improvements in long distance telephone

engine has . will eventually make the station itself redundant remains to be seen. The of preservation in . been included in the list of industrial monuments especially worthy the new City area. - 4 -

A FULLING MILL AT STANDLAKE, OXFORDSHIRE

by Brig. F.R.L. Goadby

includes A portfolio of Witney Deanery notes and sketches in the Bodleian Library to which is a a drawing dated 1831 of an 'Ancient Tacking Mill'at Standlake', next watercolour of the same aspect entitled 'Old Fulling Mill' and initialled N.L.' (i.e. old William Langford of who collected papers about this Deanery. None of the inhabitants in Standlake had heard of this property, but Davis's Map of Oxfordshire also dated 1797 shows a mill on the R. Windrush at the east end of the village, of which there was no recollection.

tenants of A search through Christ Church Estates Calendar and Letter books for Gaunt House disclosed that Christ Church had had the lease of a 'fulling mill' from have Brasenose College from 1708 until the of 1853, when the property seems to become so dilapidated that Brasenose threw its site and connected lands into the common pool for reallocation. Brasenose archives show that the Mill had ben in existence from c. 1240 and its story follows.

The Mill was astride the western arm of the R. Windruah, about 250 yards north of the present "Broad Bridges', and immediately above a rocky fall in the stream. Both the the 1841 Tithe Map and the 185) Enclosure Award Map show that there was then an island in river, with a building astride the northern (or 'upper')arm. The courses rejoined 'about 50 yards below the rocky fall, where there is now a pair of chestnut trees some 100 years old. Both arms of the stream were bridged by wooden foot-bridges, and the footings of the one over what is now the river, were visible in loW water at the end of the 1969 summer. The sketches show that in 1831 the mill building was generally of rough boarding, with a square room at the south end constructed of stone up to eaves level, the roof being thatched throughout.

This end of Standlake is called 'Rack End', no doubt from the drying racks of this mill, and the name 'Racynde'. appears in a lease in Lincoln College archieS dated 21st April 1555, from Robert Radbourne of Standlake to John Bliss tweyffori (? igeaver) of Standlake, of a cottage and garden. It is perhaps apposite that a Piece of land awarded at the Enclosure to Brasenose'in lieu of the mill property, was deacribed as 'Dyers Ham', though this was a detached parcel some 400 yards away and unconnected with any Mill, being some distance north west from Gaunt House.

It has not yet been possible to pinpoint the Mill on the ground. The buildings were probably removed as ruins soon after the Enclosure in order to improve the junction of a major drainageditch (Menzies, or 'New Cut') with the Windrush, the original position of which may have been some way upstream from the present influx.

The earliest record-of this Fulling Mill is in Brasenose archives in a deed of gift by Lady Eva de Gray (who owned the Standlake Estate) to the 'Church of the Blessed John Apostle and Evangelist of Kaldenorthen and the Canons of the same', i.e. to the former Cold Norton Priory near Chipping Norton. The property is described as 'a new mill in Standlake which is called fullingemulne which is situated between the new mill and the parson's house....and all my meadow called Halles'. This fits a present description 'between the Rectory and Gaunt Mill'. Lady Eva was then a widow and a condition of the gift was the recital of daily prayers for her soul, for that of her son John de Bello Campo (Beauchamp), and for her ancestors and successors. This dates the deed at c. 1240, i.e. after the death of her third husband who was father of John, and before 27th October 1246 when her heirs paid fine on inheritance. Her Inquisition Post Mortem is undated.

In 1254 Arvelus de Bosco, a relation of Lady Evars descendants, bought a piece of land in Standlake from Adam, Prior of Cold Norton, which may have been this same piece called 'Halles', and Brasenose records show that in 1293 the Mill was leased to one Thomas son of Richard son of Stephen of Standlake, when William de la More stood surety against any malfeasance. The next record is a quit-claim in 1400 from the Prior to one John Golafre of the ffullyngmulle Zefterham' at Standlake followed by a detailed lease of 30th April 1405 to William Dyton. This speaks of 'our water mill and fulling mill situate in Stanlake next the close of John Crook, called Innermulle, with the close next the milleham....the mill called Uttermulle duly excepted which John Northwode holds'. Protection of the tenancy was also extended to William Dyton's wife, the rent being 48d. - of a Miller's house, of bridges, and of , with a premium of 10d. There is mention but could not fell. which the tenant could lop (?Ipollard')

in a different tenancy may be explained of an lUttermulle' - i.e. Outer Mill - .s mention the Island, that on mill wheel in each of the streams which bounded there having been a mills was removed later, as the need for village /the'south side being the 'outer mill' which decreased. in 1507, when the monks (perhaps wisely) Cold Norton Priory estates passed to the Crown Wotton, the last Prior. Henry VII sold failed to elect a successor on the death of John the same year. They sold on 19th the prOperties to the Dean and Canons of Westminster who conveyed the properties to Brasenose March 1512 to William Smyth, Bishop of Lincoln, with some pomp at on 19th May 1530. on 8th May 1513, this being formally confirmed had four tenants between 1616 and 1685, viz. As far as the Mill is concerned, Brasenose Edward Shippery (1663) and Thomas Willis .(1664); John Barnabie (1616), Thomas Harris (1646), The most informative of the leases is a there are no records for the previous 100 years. Witney, and his wife Anne, of the 'fulling renewal in 1651 to Thomas Harris, Clothier of etc.', for 21 years at 30/- annually, the mylnes with appurtenances, close, eyts,'meades millnes with the through, walles, waterworkes, tenant to 'uphold and keep in good order the periodically but was to plant four new trees stone workel. He could 'shroud' the willows each year. a 28 years lease was granted to John, The direct interest of Brasenose ceased in 1685 when on immediate repair. This was Doctor John Lord Bishop of Oxford, who agreed to spend £30 Standlake, from his father Dr: Fell, of Christ Church, who had inherited Gaunt House, in trust to Christ Church to create Samuel Fell. He died in 1686 and left his property lay out £1000 in the purchase of Foundation for ten Exhibitioners at £10 each, and to fulling mill was sub-leased to the suitable advowsons. .Subsequently it seems that the tenant of Gaunt House, which became the farmhouse. to Christ Church every seven years up to Brasenose records show that the lease was renewed archives to 1839. A Christ Church sub- 1748, which renewals are continued in Christ Church mill or water grist mill, with six acres lease of 1708 describes the property as a 'fulling occupied by Edward Carter (buried at meadow, two cows common, and free fishing, previously 1725) for seven years at £8 p.a.' Standlake 1711) and now let to Joseph Huckwell (buried lately used as a fulling mill', and with By 5th February 1770 it was described as 'the mill 14 years at Ell p.a. to John Hunt an adjacent Grove and 3i acres of close was sublet for Fisherman and John Pitson carpenter. also tenant of Gaunt House and of In 1776 the sub-lease was-to William Marchant, who was arid that in any case it was not Gaunt Mill, who complained that the land was overmeaiured, Brasenose valuation of 27th now worth more than £5 p.a. Christ Church records also hold's. description 'fulling mill with four March 1804, prior to renewal of their lease, with the valued at £60.1 There were some acres of land at a rent of £4.2.0 p.a., the land being 200 willows which were cut every seven to eight years. files suggests that by 1849 the Correspondence with Brasenose in Christ Church Estate had been mutually agreed. fulling mill was in ruins, and that this continued dilapidation a new stream could be cut across the mill It would improve Standlake drainage generally if to the clause in their lease land. Brasenose reply called Christ Church's attention of the structure of the mill, and whereby they were fully responsible for the maintenance the Standlake Enclosure Award repudiated any such 'arrangement'. However the preamble of lands for re-apportioning, and of 1853 shows that Brasenose then surrendered the mill named 'Dyers Ham' (4a.1r.17p) received in lieu two plots to the north-west of Gaunt House parcels were,then leased to.Chriqt and 'part of Outer Ham' adjacent (2a.Or.20p). These in place of the fulling mill'. Church on 14th November 1867 as 'awarded at the enclosure but it may well be that the mill described There is no mention of Standlake in the original grading of the R.Windrush. in c.1240 as the 'new mill' could have dated from the 'new mill' may hae lasted for 1000 This may have been in Saxon days c.800 A.D. so that the fulling mill was purely for local years. It is not yet possible to establish whether the Witney blanket industry. homespun or whether at some period it was linked with Church and Brasenose for so kindly I am most grateful to the Librarians of Christ facilitating my search into their archives.

Sources - Sketches - M.S.Top Oxon d.218 Tithe Map Standlake 1841 - Bodleian Library Standlake Enclosure Award 1853 - County Archives Brasenose and Christ Church College Archives. - 6 -

A BERKSHIRE FOUNDRY -

by J. Kenneth Major

. In the centre of Bucklebury (SU 552 710) a group of buildings surmounted by a fine chimney has been the home of a working foundry and blacksmith's shop since the early 18th century and possibly earlier. This site for a foundry is an unusual one, as it is 3 mi1e/3 from the Kennet Navigation at Woolhampton over a high ridge, and this would have made the carriage of iron bars, pig iron and or coke difficult.

The group of buildings is now in use for light engineering, garage work and sheet metal 'work but these activities have not really affected the layout of the group. The river Pang forms the northern boundary of the site, though the cottage on the north bank of the stream was at one time attached to the foundry. The little lane connecting the cottage to the main street of the village separates the group into two parts. The range of buildings to the west contained the workshops associated with the woodworking and

wheelwrights part of the business. At the south end of this range there is still the . tyring furnace and beside it the cast iron tyring plate, and to the north of this them are the open cart sheds and woodworking shops. The interior of these is so altered that the particular use of any one is not recognizable. On the back wall there are a row of racks for the storage of metal bars which have been produced as flat bed castings'. and consist of uprights with hooked brackets cast on to the uprights.

The east range of buildings of the foundry form the more important part of the site for there the whole history of the group is shown in the buildings. The building with diamond panes next to the river is the original smithy which has been absorbed into the fbundry. Behind that, still bordering the stream, is a large workshop with a heavy truss roof, dated 1844. The. workshop contained, at its western end, the hearths and benches associated with the smiths and engineers who made or repaired the agricultural machinery which was the mainstay of the foundry. To the south of this workshop there is a parallel building, which may be of the same date, which was-the,shop where pump's and engines were made. or repaired. The metal working lathes had very long beds for turning the cores of the pumps and engine parts. The south west corner of this'shop was the engine house to which.the chimney was attached. Some fOrm of horizontal steam engine was put in to drive the lathes and other machinery. The chimney'is dated 1876 and it is possible that the engine was installed at the same time. The two workshops are approximately 15 feet wide and 60 feet long. In the centre of each main wall there is a full height double door so that steam engines and other large vehicles could be taken in for repair. The windows of these workshops are made of cast iron and are marked with the foundry's name "Hedges".

To the east of the north workshop there is a small compartment which houses the two furnaces, and beyond that is the pattern shop and the pattern store. In the ground0 there are further sheds -which served as wood stores, stables and cart sheds. There is also a frame in which oxen were tethered when they were being shoed. The most modern part of the complex is a little brick office block and washroom which serves the petrol pumps in the forecourt.

Day books exist for the smithy which date from 1736 to 1764. These books show how the Hedges family as the local smiths repairing farm machinery, shoeing horses and - serving the needs of quite a large community. This family owned the.foundry until 190k3. The records show several John Hedges and a Nathaniel Hedges in charge, but for a large part of the middle of the 19th century the firm was controlled by Sarah Hedges. In 1908 the firm was bought by the Kings and operated by them until taken over bY the Whatley brothers in 1947.

The foundry side of the business started about 1820. This date is confirmed dated castings on the churchyard railings of Bucklebury and Frilsham of 1827 and .1824 respectively. The last dated casting is a tombstone made in 1957 in Bucklebury churchyard though the points for mechanical rakes have been cast since then. Patter* covering the whole period of the foundry's production are stored in the loft over the - pattern shop. This 16ft is a wild clutter of uncatalogued pieces from waterwheels to windows, and from tombstones to troughs. Lots of gear patterns lie around; these. were all hand carved and not cut on a machine as was the case in large foundries. -7-

was used until The most important item in the foundry is the cupola furnace which doubt the furnace which was the basis of the foundry's 4uite recently but which was without cupola, that is it is business when it first started casting. This cupola is a stave staves of a barrel. made up of cast iron segments built up and held together like the iron plate. The top The 8.staves stand about 7 feet high and are mounted on a cast which projects 4 feet above. carries a square cast iron box which is the base of the flue hole through which the iron the roof. The centre stave at the front has the small door the blast was introduced. was tapped. The side stave has three tuyere holes through which is shown in mid-nineteenth There is no doubt about the age of this form of furnace for it cupola furnace". The century textbooks on foundry work with the caption "the old type of of tuyeres and second cupola at the foundry is quite a standard cupoia furnace with a ring foundry's life this had an all metaCcasing standing on 4 iron posts. At the end of the both furnaces long been abandoned in favour of the older one. The air to the tuyeres of fan. The power was provided'by a series of channels under the floor which were fed by a wheel for the fan was provided by the present waterwheel. This wheel is an undershot cast in the foundry about 1875, for which the patterns still.exist. be The products of the foundry can be found over quite a large area. Some can century. tracked down from the day books which exist from the latter part of the 19th to For instance, the pump which stands at SU 516 674 on the A4 in Thatcham was supplied in Hampstead the Thatcham Guardians in the 1870s. The fine large stepped pyramid tomb this Norris churchyard for the Lousley family in 1855 and memorial plates were added to the right up to 1962. The waterwheels at Woolhampton Mill, River Barn Marlston, and Bucklebury Manor farm mill were all built by the foundry. At River Barn and the Manor millstones. Farm the foundry produced an important form of farm mill with a single pair of From the patterns other castings can be traced back to Bucklebury; the railings at Hampstead Norris Churchwhich are not marked are nonetheless the work of the Hedges family. This short note covers only a fraction of the work and recording which has been done on this important industrial monument. A scale model of the cupola has been buiit for the International Foundry Congress held in Brighton this year. Photographs have been taken to record the patterns produced by the foundry, the waterwheel and mill at River Barn have been recorded as measured drawings. Indeed the inhabitants of the Pang valley must be worried about all the' people who peer at their railings, gateposts and garden troughs.

BREWERIES IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

by Geoffrey H. Starmer

could Tho Watney Mann Group has announced plans to rationalize its beer production and this Brewery lead to the end of brewing'in Northampton. At presentvonly the former Phippsts by Watnoy and the former Northampton Brewery Companyts Phoenix Brewery, together operated Mann (midland) Ltd, remain of the many brweries once operating in the county. remains Most of these have been demolished but those of which there are still some physical include:- (SP 585 367) Cosgrove (SP 792 424) Milton Halsor (SP 733 556) (TL 038 879) (SP 695 484) (SP 894 677)

In Northampton Itself, there is still something to be of seen of six of the more substantial breweries :- 'Albion. (SP 753 601) Castle SF 748 601 Lion SP 756 597 Victoria SP 761 609 Phipps (SP and and the two breweries now in the Watney Mann () complex: 754 598) Phoenix, the former NBC brewery (SP 754 598)

in the next issue of this These and other breweries in Northamptonshire will be described - 8 -

"SOME NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BRICKWORKS"

by Richard O'Rourke

and there are scattered, county dates from Roman times, Although brickmaking in the survey has been ,h, from the 17th century, this brickworks in the modern sense volume references to 19th century, since a greater from the beginning of the concentrated on the period of Ordnance Survey and this period, in the form evidence is available about with the beginning of definite of the period coincides trade directories. The start in the other maps, and of a large number of works use of bricks and the opening of a huge increase in the county. Techniques small, and many century all the yards were first half of the nineteenth century. In the around the turn of the they were forced out of business bricks remained so until one, since the completed then in use, was a seasonal hand brickmaking process the summer months. The could only be done during dried in the open air and this proper has to be to March, when the brickmaking the winter months from October pit and Clay was dug during along planks from the clay during these months was barrowed to began. The clay dug winter frosts on the clay was area. The action of the heaped up close to the working 'tempered' by In the spring the clay was it up and help render it workable. present in the clay break foot or hoof. Any stones by spade and by trampling under moulding turning over clay were then taken to the Large pieces of tempered were removed at this stage. of clay into a wooden moulded by throwing a 'clot' bench where bricks were individually consists of a fill it. The mould basically with sufficient force to completely the mould, placed on the flat bench during 'top nor bottom which was wooden box with neither of the mould, either the the clay adhering to the sides moulding operation. To prevent the surfaces, these or sand could be dusted over dipped in water before use mould could be and 'pallet-1 or 'sand-moulding'. being termed respectively 'slop-moulding' of two processes with a 'strike', which consisted clay was next 'stricken off' In either case the excess of wire with two handles, with a straight edge, or a piece either a piece of shaped wood the bricks were a bow. In sand-moulding in some cases a wire stretched across sheds or allow drying, either in drying i.e. built up in stacks, to immediately hacked, to protect them from the the open with straw or sheeting ('hovels') or more often in more delicate and had to Slop-moulded bricks however were worst vagaries of weather. being hacked. After a day in a covered area before be dried individually for about bricks were ready for firing. drying the and half of the nineteenth century, in Northamptonshire iii the first The kilns used simple construction. In into this century were of extremely in the smaller yards well and about 3m high, of between 7 and 10m long, form they consist of two walls with bricks simplest between these walls was filled 2.5 and km apart. The space kiln spaced between 20 and 35,000 bricks) and the of this type holding between to be burned (a kiln bricks (Islats1), brick-dust, end-walls (or 'wickets') with broken closed up by building bricks from a previous firing. the top with broken or under-burned and clay, and covering point, tapering to about 300mm might be 1500mm thick at this At the base of the walls which bricks was burned. the coal for the firing of the were arched fireholes where 10 per wall at the top, ones which I have examined, number of these holes but of the There could be any chimney was built up from of the country a small temporarY seems usual. In some parts here is not known. whether this was a common practice bricks on top of the kiln, but broken walls either found in those kilns having end modification of this pattern was for A slight would be provided at one end In the latter case a doorway at one end only or at both. in the usual this was blocked up during firing and egress of the product, and one the ingress roof (usually with a chimney at this type, a permanent arched way. In some kilns of not known. this was practised hereabouts is corner) was erected but whether 3 days, so that the bricks at a very slow rate for the first The kiln would be fired which the bricks on for about 36 hours, after and then full fire put be dried thoroughly, the fireholes would then burned. In the best practise should have been thoroughly take 4 or 5 days. cool very slowly. This might up and the kiln allowed to almost blocked that the wickets were removed one account seems to indicate However at least and be ready for a new load that the kiln might cool quicker immediately after firing so of 'green bricks'. - 9 - updraught kiln was highly This type of kiln, known variously as the 'scotch' or distribution in such a kiln is ifficient from a number of points. The temperature over burned bricks must have been normal. ..xtremely poor and a large number of under and might have usefully been absorbed Much heat was wastefully dissipated from its roof, which up the kiln itself and afterwards by the bricks, and heat was also wasted in heating was not eradicated until the allowing the kiln and contents to cool. This latter from it. The updraught introduction of the continuous kiln, all intermittents suffering its low initial cost. kiln had one inherent.advantage however, and that was by the middle of the nineteenth A more efficient kiln, the downdraught, was appearing passed downwards through the charge century, in which, as the name suggests, the hot gases has the same general features as the instead of upwards. In one of its guises this kiln a cuboidal structure, roofed with most sophisticated updraught described above, i.e. it is sides. The difference lies in that a brick arch and with five holes set low in the long walls placed inside the heat from the fuel in the fire holes is deflected upwards by 'bag' bricks to be burned, and kiln until it hits the roof, is deflected downwards through the led to a chimney. The out through a checkerwork floor of firebricks. Flues underneath to pass directly through bagwalls are perforated with holes which allow some of the gases distribution. The dimensions the lower part of the kiln. This allows an even temperature than the updraught and would hold of these kilns are in general the same or slightly larger was the circular kiln, of between 30 and 40,000 bricks. The main variant of this pattern set radially in its similar capacity, which had a shallow domed roof and fireholes the turn of the century circumference. The principle of the kiln was identical, and until distribution was easier was preferred to the rectangular variety since a good temperature are normally fitted around to attain. It was, however, more costly to erect. Steel bands during firing. Tie the periphery of this type to counteract the outward forces generated of the medium sized bars are normally used to strengthen the rectangular type. Many 19th century, partic- brickworks were equipped with these kilns in the third quarter of the Wellingborough, ularly in the ones close to the large towns (i.e. Northampton, , at Manor etc.) where the demand was greatest. They may still be found at work Brickworks, the only currently extant yard in Northamptonshire. kiln. In The ultimate in efficient use of fuel was that provided by the continuous a series its original form, as invented in 1859 by Frederick Hoffmann the kiln consisted of a central chimney. of 'chambers' (generally at least 12) arranged in an anular fashion around the central chimney. The chantera were connected one to another and each had its flue to found in all stages of the As one proceeded around the several chambers, bricks would be cooling and kilning process, from one chamber which was being filled through drying, firing, chamber, a chanter eventually having completed the circle, in juxtaposition With the first two, and the from which fired bricks were being unloaded. A temporary wall between these firing zone to arrangement of flues, allowed the hot gases which had passed through the proceeding being fed warm the newly set bricks, the chamber in which firing was actually for major with slack from holes in its roof. The kiln was thus never put out, except the firing zone repairs, and the maximum possible use is made of the heat from the fuel, Several kilns of simply moving round the circle as one part becomes completely burnt. of chambers was this type were erected in this area, although in later kilns the layout 2 lines of generally changed to form either 4 aides of a rectangle or in smaller examples caused by chambers side by side with connecting passages at the ends. This was mainly to these kilns, lower construction costs for this pattern. Some changes were soon made fuel from the top mainly in regard to grates for fuel burning (since direct application of became so discoloured the wares) and in flues (since the gases from the hot zone sometimes wet). These sodden with moisture that the newly set bricks were spoiled by becoming too few major experiments culminated in the 'Manchester' and fStaffordshiret kilns. With numbers changes, this is the kiln used at all modern brickworks and may be seen in large around the Bletchley and areas. These continuous kilns must be of a fairly large size to be efficient, a total of 12 chambers, each containing upwards of 10,000 bricks being a normal minimum. Such a kiln is obviously expensive to build and maintain (see under ) and could only be used million at relatively large works. Ones erection presupposes an output of at least one bricks a year. Whilst the improvement in kiln design went on, a similar change was experienced in the preparation and moulding of the clay, as machinery was gradually introduced. Certainly by the second quarter of the century the pug-mill was in considerable use. shaped This machine consists essentially of a vertical mounted cylindrical or conical iron vessel down the centre of which a shaft fitted with knives rotates. The action n 4-^ tha nlnu arirl tn fnrre it tnurprdq thP bottom of the -Crx_

10 grea right consistency for moulding,this it should issue with the vessel, from which hoof or spade. In mar-4'1114U tempering the clay under foot, the labour required for affect production. The/eailiilw machine of significance to county yards this was the only survived'inTscy,, around the mill, and thiS'operation were driven by a horse walking a steam érig1ni44, examples it was eventually driven by the 20th century, but in most.cases for the hand 1W-, yards until existed solely.to provide clay In some yards the pug-mill Untilf - often a portable. machine made bricks to be produced. also allowed the first entirely moulder, but it the hand methods, since the financial incentive to replace about 1860 there was little From this date on, due to to the moulding was small. proportion of the cost attributable made bricks became pre-eminent. in costs, and demand, Machine increases pressure, deliver clay under a considerable could be readily designed to A pug-mill of which produced a rectangular through a die-plate, the dimensions sufficient to force it latter was accomplished for cutting into bricks. This sectioned stream of clay suitable were angled to allow through the clay. The wires series of wires which were pulled method. Holes by a were many advantages in this velocity of the clay. There the for the issuing of the mortar (besides making brick to allow better bonding could be produced in the pipes, which were the most fire homogeneously). Drainage lighter, and easier to in one operation, brick districts, could be produced product of many yards in rural important around a mould, and complicated a flat tile and then bending without first producing ease. Some of the last surviving were similarly made with great shapes (such as pantiles) the end, and some still survive Bruerne) used this method up to yards (see Bothwell & Stoke using a very fluid clay ). This practice of outside the county (i.e. Napton, which are termed should include hand Making properly) a few related types (which is one of class of work by machinery involving brickmaking. A variant of this generically 'plastic' described under Raunds Manor the clay through the die will be a rack driven ram to force Brickworks. greater introduction of machine the pressed brick heralded an even The development of or 'semi-plastic' of these was by the 'semi-dry' operation. The earliest production the clay no water is normally added during this a dry clay is required and method. For balls together in the hand, but is one which, when ground, preparation. An ideal clay rolling,on is ground using edge runner mills does not feel sticky. The clay which passed from this proOess to the press. steel plates, and is immediately perforated table, aroUnd the periphery of of a. large circular steel The press consists basicallY the bricks. The holes which form the moulds for are four sets of two rectangular each of which bringing the moulds in turn to in a series of quarter revolutions, table rotates come under the clay delivery In the first stage the dies the stages of production. in vertical cylinder a press, or archimedean screw working nozzles, these being fed by filled moulds is same time the clay in the previously mounted above the table. At the just been press, and the bricks which have by a mechanical or hydraulic being compressed position the bricks are being from the mould. In the fourth pressed are being ejected to the kiln. directly by barrow or conveyor belt removed from the table and taken are several:- The advantages of this process off in which contains less water to be driven A well shaped, hard brick is produced the kiln. is required. No drying could also be done in the hand easily inserted in the brick. This A mortar 'frog' is often done outside shaped stock-board. This Was not made product by using a suitable the London area however. brickfield but in the Fletton area of the Peterborough The process was used extensively process. the introduction of the 'stiff-plastic' generally has become less popular since Some *water is added many ways similar to the 'semi-dry' method. This latter is in been ground and screened. in a mixer, after the clay has as much as in the 'plastic') in (not are normally giVen to the clay in construction but two pressures The press is similar shape. It may in some and the other to give the final the mould, one to produce a 'clot' bricks before kilning. cases be necessary to dry the really exists in which the clay must be related process, the 'dry' or 'dust', One other during firing. Higher distribution of moisture would cause cracking dry since an uneven was not used in This method of production, however, temperatures in the kiln are used. more commonly used on the continent. Northants as far as is known, being been used in Northamptonshire, all of geologically different clays have ;A large number the of these has been made by Eeeby Thompson in ,/th some Success. A good exposition on his account. lictoria County History and I have drawn heavily liassic clays of the area, red bricks were made from the blue ferruginous Sormally only or Some of the oolitic clays produce a white but some blue bricks have been produced. made at Eye, near Peterborough. light coloureà brick, and white bricks were Buckby Wharf and Marston Trussel. Lower Lias. Small yards at , Welford, Crick. These tend to have some Middle Lias. Small yards only, i.e. Watford and Up to a point this is not measure of finely divided calcareous matter in them. in burning, and also reduces the objectionable, since it helps to flux the silica contraction in drying. most of the large brickworks, and Upper Lias. The most widely used strata on which Neston), Bliswdrth, Gayton, many small yards, were built, i.e. Towcester (Easton Irthlingborough, Kettering and . Heyford, Northampton, Wellingborough, , nodules, which if left would burn Both this and the Lower Lias contains argillo-calcareous leaving cracks which fill with to lime. On becoming wet the lime is leached out in winter. In most cases these water, the bricks cracking open when the water freezes and nuMerous, screening techniques nodules were removed by hand but where they were small found at Grafton Regis and had to be used (i.e. at Corby). The Upper Lias clay causes efflorescence on wetting and was liable to contain iron pyrites, which iron, calcium and magnesium. drying the brick due to crystallisation of sulphates of Cottingham are sufficiently Lower Estuanne Beds. These are mostly sands but at Deene and argillaceous for brickmaking. but have not been used Upper Estuanne Beds. These are highly suitable for brickmaking, Buttocks Booth, Moulton, to any great extent. Such works that did were Hopping Hill, Brigstock, Great Oakley and Newton. and is slightly Great Oolite Clay. Has been used at New , Peterborough bituminous here. and Oundle. Oxford Clay.' The Kellaways Bed has been worked at Raunds,

Locations most cases the details This consists of a list of those sites which have been found. In that it will encourage people with local are, to say the least, sketchy. I hope however knowledge of the various places to help fill the gaps. in maps and directories, In most cases the dates known are ones where the works are shown have used the abbreviation and do not'represent accurate opening and closing dates. I IK.O.D.' to denote these 'known operating dates'.

ARTHINGWORTH (SP 740815) was close to the Northampton A small yard working about the turn of the century. It to railway. (SP 744806) the works. A small yard on the south side of Kelmarch station. There was no siding to It operated about the same time as that above. (SP 497325) Canal This yard was situated north of the Aynho to road, betweeh the Oxford regularly shaped and the Great Western Railway. The clay appears to have been dug in seven K.O.D. pits to the north of the works. There was also a limekiln on the site. 1887-1900. Derelict in 1923. (SP 555587) I have found no K.O.D. 1866-1889. One John Freeman worked this pit in 1866 but updraught. ownership records after this date. There was a single small kiln, probably Disused in 1900. - 12 -

BENEFIELD (SP 997878) is named on the 1901 6" 0.S. map, but K.O.D. 1889-1901. A small works which Cottage' is marked. no buildings shown. 1927 only 'Brickyard BILLING Rixon is recorded as a brick and tile K.O.D. during which years John 1849-1866, the many instances year he is also a beer retailer! One of maker. (In the latter He is not the owner's only occupation). in the early 19th century where brickmaking founded Rixon and Co. of whom more will be may have been a member of the family which said under Wellingborough. (SP 7265)8) next to the , on the This is shown on the 1827 Bryant 1" map, Dix is shown as being a brick and tile maker Gayton Road from Blisworth. In 1849 George Inn, corn and coal dealer; and farmer. here as well as victualler at the Navigation

(SP 72255)) the ownership of George Savage (his K.O.D. 1869-1919.. This large yard was,under He eventually owned yards at Towcester, executors for the last years) until about 1914. there were four kilns at work here. Since Stoke Bruerne and Greens Norton. In 1886 all updraught, these also were probably those working at the other yards he owned were his wares was provided by the proximity of the of this type. Convenient transport for the First World War period the yard arm of the Grand Junction Canal. Around Northampton on a royalty of who leased the land from the Duke of Grafton was taken over by W. Asplin, to minimum). All the buildings belonged 1/- per 1,000 bricks or tiles made (with a £22 to take them by valuation. .the tenant but the landlord had the right BOUGHTON (SP 747665). Market Harborough road were known Spinneys on either side of the main Northampton to in the as 'Brickhill' and 'Little Brickhill Spinney' 1880s. (SP 89)601) one kiln marked as working in 1889, but A small yard- with one long drying shed and disused by 1900. BRACKLEY (SP 594379) yard as well as the Wheatsheaf Hotel K.O.D. 1877-1900. In 1877 John Sewell ran this draining pipe, roofing tiles, and in Brackley. He advertises that he makes 'bricks, least between 1882 and 1900. Malt Kiln tiles'. Two kilns were in operation at BRAUNSTON (SP 551660) family ran the brickworks in Between 1841 and 1900 a succession of the Boswell that in 1849 they are not entered. Braunston (this included a Mrs. Hannah Boswell) except merchant) and J. Leeson (also a builder) In this year both Samuel Howard (also a coal Boswell's yard was just north of the made bricks here, the former tiles also. The canal, between that and the village. BRIGSTOCK Site unknown (see under Geology). BR1XW0RTH (SP 782701) to road in 1821 and in A kiln is shown here on the south side of the to it. The site is now 1849 William Holt was working here. This is the last reference under Reservoir.

SEE ADDENDUM ON PAGE 27.

BROUGHTON (SP 850775) in and by 1884 had The Cransley Iron Co. put their furnaces into blast here 1877 kiln. The site was erected a brickworks south of the site. There was one small disused by 1901. - 13 -

KE (SP 675571) in but by 1849 it was being X.O.D. 1834-1849. Thomas Daniel held the yard 1841, was a soap boiler. 4ir*ed by 'John Ashby who also made tiles, and ULWICK (SP 957929) who were also K.O.D. 1866-1901. Operated over this period by the Barratt family another member of the family with farmers. Between 1877 and 1885 there are references to yards, or whether the proximity to the a yard in Deene. Whether there really were two parish boundary caused confusion is.not known. (SP 901746) former year he also held Between 1866 and 1877 this yard was run by John Croxen (in the two Barlows. Frederick Barlow the 'Dukes Arms' public house) and between 1894 and 1910 by joinery works in Rothmell and also owned a brickworks at Bothwell, to say nothing of steam at Rushton and a monumental masons Kettering, a timber store at Rushton Station, limekilns was a small one, and was east worki and branch office in Horsemarket, Kettering. The yard of the main road very near the centre of the town. BurrocK's BOOTH (SP 783644) but the site There is known to have been a brickworks here in 1835 and possibly later, World War I, when was certainly disused by 1883 and laid dormant until shortly after Weston Favell Brick and Tile Co. A. Glenn & Son opened a works here under the name of the there was a narrow This closed about 1941. Little is known about the works except that workings came from it. gauge tramway in the pit. The wagons used at Chown's Stoke Bruerne Brown. One reference only to this works in 1897 when it was being worked by one J. CHIPPING WARDEN (SP 510511 and 511509) Two small works close together and known to have existed from 1882-1900. In 1894 latter as disused the works are run by Samuel Allen and the 1900 6" 0.S. map shows the one kiln in each but the former as working, though the buildings have gone.' There was yard. (SP 859601). of the Grendon K.O.D. 1887-1901. A small works within the Castle Park on the north and used by the Road. Since it does not appear in the directories it may have been owned Estate. There was one small kiln. (SP 542541) on the This yard, of a considerable size, appears only on the 1900 6" 0.S. It is north of Woodford west side of the main line approximately one mile connection Halse station. Served by a pit at the north end of the pit, there was a rail may, of both to the pit and the main line (marked as a 'tramway' on the map). The works course have been set up primarily for railway construction work. CLAPTON Eetween 1877 and 1885 at least, Rowland Wood of Home Farm (he was also a farmer) ran a yard here. The site is unknown. CLIPSTON is A yard was kept here by William Bonsor at least between 1849 and 1866. The site unknown. CCGENHOE (SP 833611) The Cogenhoe Iron Ore Co. commenced mining iron ore in the area to the south of the Railways and Tramways of the village in 1858 (see E.S. Tonks : The Ironstone the clay pp 44-6) and at some stage between then and 1877 it was decided to exploit also being dug. A standard gauge railway connection had been made with the Northampton- on a branch to Peterborough line for the ironstone workings and the brickworks was erected pit. There appears from the west from this. At the eastern end of the site was a small production and drying shed and the 1883 6" O.S. map to have been an unloading shed, a long is therefore probably a three kilns. One of these is a small circular structure and downdraughts. circular downdraught kiln. The remaining two may well have been rectangular Cohen, but they went down in the slump of In 1886 the workings became the property of G. 1 2- ,QOO4. - 14 - - during the extraat CORBY (SP 895882) to use clay dug here was started built the the brickworks a little later As in Cogenhoe in 1886 and when' b8ift. opened the workings survived until 1910 James Pain works it only until- of Iron Ore. a very extensive lasted only Although it was iron orepits however brickworks. upon. These Patent Brick Co.Ltd:"' was concentrated of Weldon & Corby production of ore the title was operated under 1912. The brickworks of the Cottingham COTTINGHAM (SP 853909) on the north side a single kiln) yard here (with There was a small operating about 1900. to Rockingham road, site. COURTEENHALL (SP 749531) survey map at this the 1" ordnance kiln is shown on In 1821 a brick (who had yards CRICK (SP 609718) Ward, Thomas Reynolds by James kiln. In 1885 Worked successively :There was one 1849-1910. Isaac Wakefield. K.O.D. by 1885), and known. and Byfield of which is not at here, the site also had a yard William Faulkner period by CUDWORTH (SP 555473) during this one kiln operated A small yard with K.O.D. 1877-1885. Thomas Cotterill. operated by (SP 581612) In 1866 it was yard with one kiln. pot .Another small tile and garden flower 1866-1894. cotta, brick, K.O.D. title of 'terra (and in the earlier who boasted the worked the yard John Edmunds 1894 George Green having an office Eetween 1877 and tiles and by 1894 manufacturer'. bricks and in 1885 advertising years one at Welton), Daventry. at 26, High Street, shown as having DEANSHANGER (SP 753409) this small yard is Saunders family in fact gone Operated by the If these had 1885-1894. described as 'old'. first K.O.D. they are both than 1885, the on the 1887 map but considerably earlier two kilns must have been to be for lime (there the opening date this appears out of use then kiln is shown but very small circular reference. One in this vicinity). were several more Railway (SP 999769) of the Midland DENFORD on the east side and tile works Briggs and This brick years by John William K.O.D. 1877-1885. during the above The works was line was worked on the, site. Kettering to was also a limekiln Junior. There later by George Siddons disused by 1901. and 1900. (SP 797833) O.S. maps for 1884 road is shown on 6" who both of the Harrington of the Liner family, This yard, south by members that show a yard operated Whether this implies and 1894 Kelly's Rothwell. In 1885, always shown under or just that a these dates are their main works before and after them and used as pit was was taken over by the Liner's Rothwell Desborough pit not known. Certainly the directories is when the Desborough was made in the the site. By 1905, mistake was one kiln on iron ore in the area, There had started to work working in 1884-1900. Society Ltd. closed. It had Co-cperative works was probably Industrial & Provident through it, the standard gauge tramway and had built a certainly gone by 1927. boasted two (SP 853649) road these works to Wellingborough side of the Northampton On the north and 1901. at least between 1887 kilns, and existed (SP 663654) King who also operated operated by George O.S. map This works was shown on the 1884 6" K.O.D. 1884-1894. plan of the works o The a carefully considered brickyards. of the works was two and later that the plan In this layout It would appear yard expanded. of some interest. fashion as the A road hae up in a piecemeal at the north end. one that grew site, and a kiln area and not south of the avoid the muddy found at the extreme probably to are to be nircuitous route, -

i5 - identical T-shaped buildings he pits. On either side of the kiln are two ably using the moulding and drying floors. on the site. vho-works was derelict and a spinney had been planted iV 1901 the

ivieucoN (sp 585584) were working a yard here (which may or may not have t, In 1849 Thomas and Abraham Burton builders and farmers. The site been that noted above) as well as carrying on business as to by Robert Bodley. A small above appears to have been operated from at least 1877 1889 and was planted as a Spinney. yard with a single kiln, it had disappeared by 1900 EYDON (SP 541515)

A yard i shown here on the 1834 1" 0.S. map.

(SP 536513 and 539512) worked over the period These two small yards, each with its own kiln, appear to have George Barnett and the 1877-1900 (K.O.D.). Up to 1885 at least one was operated by in operation in 1900 and by 1894 other by William Mawby. Since they were both still that he took over both works. Mawby is the only brickmaker recorded, it is possible GAYTON (SP 716553) Brown) operated this large The Northamptonshire Brick and Tile Co. (managed.by E.J. The 0.S. map shows works from at least 1883 until.about the First World War. 1883 6" use by that time, since.a five small rectangular kilns, which may well have been out of The company presumably large circular Hoffmann kiln of 1201 diameter is also shown. had a wharf in Weston used the canal for much of its transport requirements, and they Street, Northampton. (SP 714549) by the Blisworth Brick and This pit is known to have operated around 1910, being owned must have been considerable Tile Company. From the size of the quarry used the.works connection, if any, there although it appears to have had a relatively short life. What & Tile Co. at Nether Heyford was between this company and the Blisworth and Stowe Brick is not known. (SP 899837) derelict by at A small yard was operated around the turn of the century, but was least 1927. GRAFTON REGIS (SP 751474) and is a document regarding A brick kiln is shown here on the 1835 1" 0.S. map there by one J. Foxley. Grafton Regis brickworks dated 1751. It was at that time owned of the 19th century The works may have been disused for some time during the middle again in the for it is not until 1885 that the brickworks is noted in the directories, also held brickworks at control of the Foxle3i family. Various members of this family Yardley Gobion, Greens Norton, and Passenham during that century. kiln and moulding and The 1883 6" 0.S. map shows a moderate sized yard with a single the yard is in 1900. drying sheds in a cruciform nearby. The laSt reference to GREAT (SP 707724). by Samuel Brundell. K.O.D.. 1877-1900. A small yard with a single kiln, operated Tiles were also produced here. (SP 883647) Operated around 1887 this small yard had a single kiln. It was disused by 1901.

GREAT OAKLEY This site is not known (see Geology, p. 11).

GREENS NORTON (SP 663492) William Foxley (see A brick kiln is shown here in 1827 and from at least 1849 to 1877 he also worked the Grafton Regis) operated it. During at least some part of the period through the hands of windmill, and was a coal dealer in the village. It then passed of the executors Henry Clements, and George A. King before eventually becoming-the property In Clements to George Savage (see Blisworth, Stoke Bruerne and Towcester). 1885 - IL) - drain pi" paving bricks, coping bricks, th at he could supply 'common bricks, advertised tiles, squares etc.' The last ridge tiles, hip and gutter plain tiles, pan tiles, Williams and Son. when it was being worked by reference to the yard was in 1914 was of the standard ruinous condition until 1969, and The kiln here remained in a by km. wide end complete. It was 7m. long having two side walls and one updraught type, side. The site was cleared with eight fire holes per long and had a height of 3.5m, in 1969. MARGRAVE (TL 0)2707) and was also a baker, farmer, surveyor Operated by John Lake, who K.O.D. 1877-1892. kilns and was disused by Manor House. The works had twu land agent. He lived at the 1901. (SP 695641) House Park. with one kiln, on the edge Harlestone K.O.D. 1883-1901. A small yard It was never shown in the directories. 95268)) HIGHAM FERRARS (SP 952687 and former of which, known as Wharf of a fairly large size, the Both of these works are The other works last 20 years of the century. a great deal during the (a Lane, expanded since the characteristic shape a rectangular continuous kiln, had, at least by 1900, map. Wharf Lane also off) is shown on the 6" 0.3. rectangle with the corners rounded in this case is pure rectangular. probably had one but the shape works, at this time George Brown controlled these as early as 1849 Joseph and had From masons. By 1877 George Brown and tile manufacturers and being described as brick 1885 the whole complex took over control, but by at least died and his representatives taken over by Joseph. was which tramway at the turn of the century is said to have had a Decauville Wharf Lane except the actual clay pits. Nothing remains on the site now ran up towards the town. taken over as a the southern of the two having been Both works had closed by 1927, tannery. HOLDENBY (SP 700685) Yard At that time he held East Haddon worked by George King in 1885. This yard was east side of the road This was a small yard on the also. (See also Greens Norton). north of the village. (SP 70270 and SP 69)719) both were under the ownership of were working by 1883, and by 1894 Both yards here was disused by 1900. which had a single updraught kiln, Joseph Eonsor. The former, yards. owned , Lamport and The kiln remains. Bonsor also wartime conditions by the Bonsors up to 1940 when The yard at SP 693719 was worked part of railway track was laid into the At the start of the winter a forced closure. in heaps on top of clay dug during the winter was dumped the pit to be worked. The The trucks wagons, during the brickmaking season. and collected as required, in a this, Wire cut bricks were produced (8 at were used) were hauled up by cable. (3 of which shed. The machinery of 32, on barrows, to the drying time) and transferred in batches holding Two updraught kilns were used, each driven by an Allchin portable engine. was built with rough clamp burned bricks The older of the two was apparently 50,000 bricks. latter still stands and is burnt in the other. Part of this and the newer with bricks kilns had 12 fire built of the same bricks. Both being used for repairs to buildings from chimneys built into the roof. Production holes per side, arched roofs, and small them was 30,000 per week during the season. clay for the building of the Reservoir was bought in 1935 to obtain puddling The works site however and the last big the land. Clay was found on and Bonsors afterwards leased bricks for the reservoir works. order from the yard was 1 million HOPPING HILL (SP 725624) was produced best red facing bricks, 1877-1927. This brickworks, which K.O.D. were also burning lime. least until 1894. In 1885 they operated by the Watkin family, at by. circular downdraught kilns close shows a large works with four The 1883 6" O.S. map The works was kiln type is no longer obvious. By 1901 these had disappeared and the - 17 -

OROUGH 'SP951714) the oldest of the several brickworks in the area and may have originally been is Addington .vierated as_two separate concerns, there being yards on either side of the Little map. At this time, the one on the west side had a small rectangular kiln, rroad on the 1884 rectangular whilst that on the east side had at least one circular downdraught and one larger kiln which could possibly be a small continuous. Only the latter is shown on the 1900 map. The directories show three brickmakers in 1849, James Berwick (who continued until'at 1866 as a brick and tile maker), W. Berwick (who was a brick and tile maker, builder, least was an and gravestone cutter), and T. Smith (who also held "The Railway Commercial Inn', to the Railway company, and was a timber, coal and salt merchant). At least between agent by 1885 and 1900 the yard appears to have been run by George Thompson. It was disused 1927. (SP 945698) the second brickworks in the area, was opened by A. Dunmore prior to 1894 and was This, from the styled the Irthlingborough Brick and Tile Works. A tramway was constructed Railway and was worked by two Manning Wardle locomotives. Northampton to Peterborough with The 1901 6" map shows the works divided into two halves, one a very extensive plant three continuous kilns. This would explain the naine. of Three Chimney brickworks which got, even though locally it is remembered as having only two chimneys (Tonko). Perhaps it somewhat, one of the kilns was demolished at some time. The other half of the works is smaller and boasts three circular downdraught kilns. It seems reasonable to suppose that of tramways tiles and special bricks would be fired in these. Near here also was a complex separated from the main branch. It would seem possible that this represented a dump where works was about clay was allowed to weather for some time before use. The quarry for the one-third of a mile north west of the works and connected to it by an extension of the branch. These works were closed about 1908 when the site was taken over by Hatton, Shaw & Co. (Irthlingborough) Ltd.'s tannery. The remaining works were all connected to another branch from the Northampton and Peterborough railway, some way,to the west of the one described above, eventually passing under the Wellingborough to Northampton Road. (SP 940696) This works, the Metropolitan Brick & Tile Co. (Irthlingborough) Ltd., was erected during 1899 at the instigation of G.C.W. Fitzwilliam, the landowner in the area. His reasons for doing so, apparently-included helping to alleviate the unemployment in the area at the time. The works was built under the direction of the then manager, J. Pascall. The equipment installed included, a tram line to the clay pit, an edge runner grinding pan, making a patent 9" diameter stiff-plastic clay mixer (£210), two patent stiff-plastic brick machines 010 each), an endless hauling gear (presumably a conveyor belt), dryer with fans to create a draught, and a steam engine (a slide valve type) with two attendant boilers. The stiff..plastic machines were obtained from Thomas C. Fawcett Ltd. of , and the kiln was a Sercombe's Patent Improved Perfect Barrel kiln. This is a rectangular continuous kiln containing 18 chambers each 15' x 15' x 8'6" and was supplied with a chimney 15' x 15' in section, 120' tall. The brickworks had to supply all the bricks and the contract, for £1640, was to be completed in 20 weeks. It could hold 220,000 bricks. In July 1900 21 people were employed, but all were still working on new works it appears. By May 1901 25 men and 5 boys were employed and making bricks, the man working the brickmaking machine getting £1.15.0. per week plus a penny per thousand produced. The other. 1 24 men employed were: 1 engine driver, 2 burners, 2 setters, 1 carpenter, 1 bricklayer, loading bricks, and 16 labourers. The wage bill was approximately £30 per week. In 1903 the buildings and kiln were in need of repair.and during.the earlier part of 1904 reconstruction took place, the capacity rising from 60 to 10Q000 bricks per week. This capacity never appeared to be reached, the bricks dispatched by rail being only 100 to 270,000 per month during 1905, the total production being of the order of 2 million in the year. The works continued to lose money and up to 1905 the loss had reached £5,000. How long the works survived after this is not known but probably not beyond 1910. The site mines were opened was taken over in 1918 by Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron & Coal Co. when iron ore here. (SP 940696) this on the south side of Irthlingborough brickworks than the other works A smaller at about the saine time. the Metropolitan and finished started work sometime before (SP 938701) century. The site later in the last years of the 19th This brick tile works opened became the Premier Cement Works. KETTERING centre, in the Kettering, close to the town several small brickworks in There were and on the Rothwell Road. It century, in Hogs-LeYs, Horsemarket, first half of the 19th found a home here. that the larger brickworks was not however until the 1880s (SP 860803) in Kettering were put into blast 1878 Iron and Coal Co's furnaces at The Kettering the site. Three small kilns been built at the north end of and by 1884 a brickworks had the works were demolished. are shown in 1884 but by 1901 (SP 860791) was operated and it is this works which here on the 1821 Ordnance map Kilns are shown are silent about from 1830 to 1894 though the directories by the Bayes family at least kiln (probably map shows a small works and a single them from 1849 to 1894. The 1884 updraught). (SP 872791 and 875789) of Montagu Street opposite the former on the north side Two prick and tile works, Ford Street. ot, Montazu Street behind and the latter on the south side ThorngateAtreet Bayes (who later took over the Barlow and the other by Charles One wasOrked by Edward latter with two. The were equipped with small kilns, the yard noted above). Both the Standard Works. housing by 1901 and the other became northern one was taken over by (SP 874778) in London Road from at least and Tile Co. had a large works The Kettering Brick Ltd. The the Kettering Brick & Tile Co. (1905) to From 1905 tfiey became 1877 1927. as well as two smaller rectangular 100' diameter Hoffmann kiln yard was equipped with a into the claypit. There was also a tramway leading kilns probably for firing tiles. Road, was also a brickworks on the Rockingham In theperiod 1894 to 1910 there Cunliffe's Kettering Brickworks Ltd. KING'S CLIFFE The site is here (in West Street) about 1885. William Sharp worked a brickfield not known. erroneously) (SP 768744) LAMPORT (referred to as Faxton, his trustees (see Joseph Bonsor, and at the end by K.O.D. 1877-1910. Operated by Hollowell). There was a single kiln. LITTLE BOWDEN of . K.O.D. 1849-1885. ance 1888 part

LITTLE HARROWDEN (SP 883720) K.O.D. 1849-1889. Single kiln.

LONG BUCKBY (SP 653681) is 'ye old Brick Kiln'. There noted in the 1765 Enclosure to include Land here was is called Brick Kiln Spinney and the adjoining field a spinney here now known as Brickhill Close. (SP 643681) Michael Foulder and his three a single kiln worked about 1850 by A small yard with refuse tip until from 1877-1903. Pit used as parish sons. Worked by William Deacon the early 1930s. SP 622675) 1877. Traces only remain on the 1884 A small yard worked at least from 1831 to J.S. map; (SP 608655) side of the canal at Buckley Wharf K.O.D. 1861-98. This small yard on the north at least by Francis Montgomery, owner was worked at first by John Thompson and from 1885 the canal. A new bridge across the canal of the Anchor Brewery on the opposite side of the yard. At least some of the was erected at this point, probably for access to Thompson bricks bear the makers naine, and are of good quality.

- (SP 623667) 1884 a small brickworks is The Johnson family worked this yard from 1831-74 and by Broughtons worked the yard in shown on the 0.S. Map some distance from an old clay pit. J.H. Sparrow by 1910. The the first decade of the 20th century but it had passed to pipe makers. A portable steam Broughtons are shown as brick and tile and later brick and engine was used to drive the pug mill at this time. about 1920 by the Long Buckby The yard closed for some years, before it was reopened - later Bate and Sons). Wire cut Brick Co. (under the ownership of Watsons of kiln but in 1925 a bricks were at first produced using either an up- or downdraught was commenced. The continuous one was erected, and in 1927 pressed brick production War II when it was used for the works closed in 1933, and remained disused until World storage and repair of ammunition boxes. the Facing bricks were produced when the works reopened after the war, under was about 1960. In ownership (at least in the last years) of Sankeys. Final closure 1965 the site was taken over by Daventry Engineering Ltd. LOWER BODDINGTON Worked about 1877 by T. Betts. The site is not known. site is not known. Worked about 1877 by Joseph Bonsor (see Hollowell). The exact

MILTON (SP 724557) untii about 1945. These works appear to have been opened about 1910 and worked brick of a They were operated by William T. Asplin. They produced a plain wire-cut some interest. blood-red coloUr, but the machine on which they were produced was of there-was a Instead of using an archimedean screw to force the clay through the die, Raunds (q.v.) power driven piston. Thus it was the automated equivalent of that at theidlder part of the The works area, which is on the opposite side of the road to Milton Sand workings, is now a yard for Kottler-Heron (Contractors).

MOULTON (SP 786666) operated in 1866 by George Rixon (see also Cogenhoe) - K.O.D. 1866.-1901. First and then by a succession of owners. NASEBY (SP 680775 and 687784) maker (James Both pits are shown on the 1883 and 1901 6" maps but only one brick Bonsor family (see Hollowell) and later Joseph Bonsbr) is shown in the directories. The and had a single kiln. operated here from 1849\o 1910 at least. Both pits are small NETHER HEYFORD

(SP 655577) are mentioned A brickworks is marked here in the 1834 1" map. Several brickmakers sites of their works in the earlier part of the 19th century (three in 1849 alone) but the are unknown. This site is part of the later Heyford Ironworks. (SP 653577) Ore Co. Nearby this working is the Stowe Works set uP by the Nine Churches Iron and Lodge which was formed in 1875 to take over the operation of Stowe Ironworks here with 3'kilns, probably Plantation quarries. By 1889 there was a large works and the works area taken oVer by George updraughts_;.. The-ironworks was closed in 1892 Tile Co;) By 1900 the works had King and Son (later the Blisworth and Stowe BriCk and well as tramways further expanded and there was rail connection to the LN.W.R. as - 20 - side of the works. From 1923.Henr7 in the quarry on the south west (2'11" gauge) it was taken over in 1940 by. of the yard until . Ltd. of Northampton assumed control Department as an ammunition dump. 14 chambers,In Ic reMains on the site. This has A rectangular continuous kiln still in a derelict condition. NEWTON (SP 662826) to Rockingham road. map of 1821, on the Kettering A brick kiln is shown on the NORTHAMPTON half of the 19th century, i.e. yards in Northampton in the first There were many small and Ward Street, Road, Bath Street, Wellington Place, in 1830 yards at Vigo Mill, Kettering the exact sites in most cases being unknown.

(SP 756620) Freehold Street, east of the Road around This large complex of working to the from Much earlier. In 1847 there at least from 1847 and probably has been in existence There have been a multiplicity kiln and by 1883 there were nine. were already more than one two owners here) since there were always at least of owners over the century (particularly was what. In 1866, however, John Clarke has been impossible to decide who owned and it John Mills also had a 'steam his making of bricks lby steam', and already advertising Martin (see Nether Heyford) By 1894 Greenough Rand Sherwell and Henry brickworks' in 1877. The works closed being taken by A.J. Chown by 1910. were the occupiers, Martins place shortly after this date. (SP 750622) Armstrong ran the works works here until 1901 at least. Thomas There were extensive suppliers in Bell's (now wholesale bathroom equipment in 1896, and at about the same time By 1927 the site was disused. the town) also had a tile works nearby.. (SP 747616) to Rugby'railway appears to have started yard on the east side of the Northampton This kiln. By 1927 two kilns this date had one circular downdraught sometime about 1895 and at It was the works appears to have been abandoned. of this type were in use, but by 1940 operated by Henry Martin (see above).

(SE' 76)601) it was worked by William was in existence at least by 1830 when The Vigo brickworks on the site. was working here and also did lime burning Barrett. By 1841 Thomas Billingham at the southern end of the works. shows two extraordinary L-shaped kilns, Laws map of 1847 kiln but it is not there appears to be an early circular downdraught At the northern end installed though it large rectangular continuous kiln has been marked as such. By 1881 a large nearly as wide as it is long and with of slightly unorthodox.dimensions being is effect. In 1885 one Circular at the corners, giving an almost circular sections Missing of this type continuous kiln and by 1901 there are three downdraught has joined the under the Also by 1877 the works has been constituted clustered around the continuous. change William Gibson as manager, but a further title of the Vigo Brick and Tile Co., with and Advance Co. Ltd. comes by 1894. in title to the Vigo Brick, Tile, Land Investment site became a Tannery. The works closed shortly after 1910 and the (SP 769600) One kiln on the north side of the road. A small works is shown here in 1847 is marked but nothing more is known.

(SP 7)2605) an additional built in 1855 by the Iron Ore Co. as This brick and tile works was by to the west. The brickworks was served to the ore mining being carried out enterprise built for the ore workings. from the Northampton to Blisworth line, a standard gauge branch times and closed The iron ore works changed hands several By 1883 it was very extensive. at this the brickworks was under the same management about 1881, but it is not known whether time. By 1900 it was disused. (SP 7)0591) before 1883 a into blast in 1873 and at some stage The Hunsbury Hill Ironworks were put adjoining the Northampton to was built to the south of the works and small brickworks 4., ,, .,011 an interAl trailiWaV NOF 1.! JURY (SP 865715) K.O.D. 1877-1889. Operated by Mrs. P. Pratt. Circular downdraught kiln in 1889.

JRTON

See Rothwell.

)UNDLE (TL 024892) In 1849 there were two brickmakers here, Thomas Plant in North Street, and John Siddpns Glapthorn road. The Siddons family continued with this yard on the west of the Glapthorn ,oad until at least 1900. There was one kiln. The North Street site is not known. 3ASSENHAM Thomas Foxley (see Yardley Gobion) had a yard here in 1894. The site is not known. JAULERSPURY (SP 735450) This yard was operating at least by 1865 and finished in.about 1910. It does not qppear in the directories and is believed to have been owned by the Duke of Grafton. Its ;taple product, at least in later years, was drain piping.

'ITSFORD (SP 750685) K.O.D. 1883-1936. This brick and tile works was operated by William Blundell. Until .900 a small village brickyard, by 1927 it had expanded considerably now possessing four ircular downdraught kilns, and a tramway to the quarry at the north end of the site. By .940 it was abandoned. TESTON CAPES (SP 560546) K.O.D. 1883-1900. This small brick and tile works had one kiln and was operated by lames Wareing.

;AUNDS (SP 995723) A kiln is marked here in 1885. Nearby, on the north side of the Higham Ferrars road ras a limekiln. They are believed to have ceased work shortly after this date. (TL 000735) This yard was operated by the Love family at least from 1877, the yard surviving until .bout 1896. This family also had a yard at Kimbolton. (TL 003725) Raunds Manor Brickworks, the only surviving brickworks in the county, still produces .and made bricks to meet a demand for a high quality structural product with a distinctive ace Between 1881 and 1883 the Raunds Ironstone and Limestone Co. worked iron ore from this rea and had a standard gauge tramway down to Raunds station. However the ore was of low uality and eventually in 1898 the site was taken by E. Smith and Sons and a brickworks was rected. The present proprietor and manager, Mr. Tom C. Smith, is Mr. E. Smith's randson. As first built, the yard had 3 drying sheds (amongst many newer ones these are till there) and a really huge updraught kiln which held 80,000 bricks! After about 1920 owndraught kilns were built and the present complement of three consist of two circular nd one rectangular downdraughts. One of the circulars was built in 1935 and has ubsequently been rebuilt and the remaining two were built about 1947. The circular kilns ave a capacity of about 29,000 and the rectangular 35,000. Clay from the pit on the east and south-east was originally brought up to the works by 2'0" gauge tramway, on which ran steel side-tipping wagons built by Robert Hudson's. This s now disused, although intact, and the two diesel locomotives which originally worked the me are now stored, one in the open. Clay is now brought by rubber-tyred dumpers. Originally the clay was weathered during the winter, but labour costs have made this npracticable, and now the clay must be tempered completely by the machines. Clay is tockpiled during the summer, when it is easier to dig, however, and some weathering does ake place then. The clay is first passed through a set of horizontal rollers, before arrying on through a double shaft mixer, rollers and then a pug-mill. From here it is livered direct to the moulders bench. The moulder takes the mould, and places it on le stock board, dusting the whole with sand which is kept on the left hand side of the bench. right hand, slightly larger than will He then takes a piece of clay from the pile at his so that it is completely.filled, t required for the brick. This he dashes into the mould surface of the clay is now dusted excess clay being removed by a wooden strike. The top a wooden board. With this and another with sand, and the brick eased from the mould onto placed on racks. These racks, when similar board the brick is removed from the table and which utilizes waste heat from the kilns. full, are wheeled off to the tunnel drying room storage. The open-sided drying sheds are now only used as wear. The practice of using The moulds used are wooden with iron inserts to reduce or brass (these moulds were moulds with an interior casing started about the 1830's, iron of bricks special moulds capable of known as 'coppers') being used. For certain types mould is still the most making four bricks at one time have been used, but the single three moulding benches are in use. common. When the works is being run at full capacity under today's conditions. Suitable labour however makes this difficult to attain of the circulars is coal From the drying shed the bricks are taken to the kilns. One limekiln on the site and this fired but the other two have.oil firing. There is a small bricks, this is-now, however, was at one time converted for use in firing experimental dis used. bricks, made by Berry The works also containS a.machine for making simulated hand-made in use since the price of simulated and Sons of Southend. At the present time this is not for hand-mades (£30 per thousand). The bricks (L22 per thousand) is so much less than that difference cannot be recouped in labour savings.

of gypsum . The clay from one of the beds.in the quarry, has in it a large number injured their crystals, which if allowed to remain in the burnt brick would have greatly a circular pit in strength. Accordingly d wash-mill was erected consisting basically of not unlike which rotated, around a vertical shaft, a series of 'ploughs' and 'harrows' and water was their agricultural namesakes in appearance. A mixture of the impure clay The heavier lumps allowed to run into the pit, and was.thoroughly stirred up by the mill. when the mixture was of gypsum, and any stones, fell to the bottom, and were left behind the clayey portion run out. The slurry was then conducted to settling tanks, where, after to dry to the correct had settled out, the excess water was run off, and the clay,allowed to find in consistency. This was an expensive process, and one which it was most unusual intact, and was originally driven a 20th century works. It is of course now disused, but by the steam engine. - In this, One other disused machine here. is one built by Page & Co. of Bedford. a rack driven piston basically a rectangular section cylinder in which clay can be placed, the pushes the clay out of one end of the machine, where a die can be placed to produce It required shape. The machine is completely manual, and was used to produce tiles. it was marginally was never an outstanding success, since the labour required to operate only less than that for the hand-made product. engine, All the power machinery was originally driven by a Foster single-cylinder overtype but this has only standby duties now. The plant is currently all electrically driven. My thanks must go to Mr. Tom Smith for the assistance on the preparation of this Raunds account, and for much information on other brickworks in the county.

ROADE site is Around 1910 Sturgess and Sons were brickmakers here (and builders), though the 758515) not definitely known. Later they became lime manufacturers on an extensive site (SP by and it is probable that their brickworks was here also. The area is now occupied Pianoforte Supplies Ltd. (SP 705560) This works started up in about 1930, being operated by the Banbury Lane Brick Co. Ltd. 1937, a subsidiary of Wilson's (Builders) This was probably always , and certainly after about the new owner shortly after of Northampton. The yard was sold by Wirson's about 1947, became bankrupt, and the yarewas closed about 1950. ROTHWELL (SP 822811 and 816808) is not certain by whom. These two smalr yards were both operating in 1884, although it to 1877 (after which the entry The Liner family operated a yard here at least from 1849 Road works (see below) was working,. changes to Desborough) and a'fter 1910. By 1884 the Orton -111111r - - the early years of this century. 3,7 by the Liners, who certainly held it by -rick Barlow (see also Burton Latimer) operated one yard in the town as part of his pire', from at least 1894, but this could have been any of the three. That at SP 822811 was the site as still operating in 1900 but by 1927 the site had been built on. The other f a Boot and Shoe Factory at least from 1900. (sP 808800) This works on the Orton Road was working at least by 1884, gradually expanding and ventually becoming one of the last Northants. brickworks. It closed about 1963 and 11 the buildings and equipment have been left standing since that date. The pit, which as at the western end of the site, was worked by a rubber tyred Neal W5 Rapid Crane fitted ith a digger attachment, and this loaded two Robert Hudson side-tipping wagons which were able hauled up to the elevated clay-receiving shed. The short tramway (which had been in se at least since 1927) was partly built up from 'Jubilee' track and partly light flat ottomed rail on wooden sleepers. The wagon's contents was tipped onto a metal tray and orked by spade onto the exposed force knives of the 6' long horizontal pug-mill. At the ther end of this the clay dropped through a pair of rolls into the hopper on the ground loor beneath. From here the clay was fed into the rolls of the extruder (made by Jones & Sons Ltd. of ), whence the band of clay was cut by wire. Plain ricks, and 3", 4" and 6" land drainpipes were produced by this process. The machinery as all driven by a very large 2 cylinder (simple) Marshall portable engine, the rear leels of which had been removed. There is also a small Goodwin, Barby & Co. Ltd. jaw rusher here, which was used to pulverise broken bricks and pipes, a certain amount of. lich could be fed in with the fresh clay. Originally there was a large Scotch kiln on the site (with 13 fireholes per side), at the present continuous kiln was built on its site about the turn of the century. lis must originally have been very small, for its type, as it was extended in 1911 to ts present 100' x 15' size. About 1925 the coal feed system was automated by a simple am operated vibrating system, and in 1945 oil firing was substituted. Flanking the kiln on either side were two 90' x 20' drying sheds, the wares being Laced on portable racks to dry. One end of one of these was, heated by underfloor pipes

?cl from a small 'Britannia' water heater. Amongst the many other interesting relics here are a small single cylinder portable lgine built by Barrows & Stewart of Banbury (which may have been used before the Marshall as acquired) and a Manco 'donkey' engine. JSHDEN (sp 964655) K.O.D. 1866-1884. This small yard with a single kiln (probably downdraught) was prked (at least in 1866) by Robert Octavius, also a butcher and grocer in the town. It Dpears to have gone out of use shortly after 1884. (sp 942675) K.O.D. 1894-1927. This large works, operated by the Rushden Erick and Tile Co. had large continuous kiln. The pit, south of the works, was served by a tramway and there ?re extensive sidings (apparently standard gauge) around the works (there appears to have ?en no direct connection to the Wellingborough-Higham Ferrars branch however!) Just to le east of the site was a sand pit, also served by a tramway. ALD4ELL (SP 769728) K.O.D. 1877-1910. Operated by Charles Barlow and at least in 1910 by Joseph Bonsor aee Hollowell). This small yard is east of the road to Old. CBBERTOFT

John Brown had a brick and tile works here in 1849. The site is not known. 'LVERSTONE (SP 663443) K.O.D. 1885-1894. This small yard was operated by George Woodward and later by orge Bradbury.

)RATTON (SP 718702) This yard was operated at least between 1885 and 1900 by Samuel Blundell. In the lrth east corner of the village, this was a small yard with a single kiln. - 4 -

D 733707) north of the -Brixworth rok between the wars, this site, on the At some time but never used. 1. updraught kiln was almost completed was develciped as a brickworks. An STOKE ERUERNE (SP 745495) the by George Savage, then the licensee of This yard was opened prior to 1849 By 1883 there were extensive works Inn' and a wharfinger at Stoke Bruerne. 'Navigation kilns around it. Working basin within the works, and four downdraught here with a canal face on the southern on the north of the site and at a of the clay was going on at a pit and Savage was also working pits at Blisworth and western side. Before this, by 1869, taken over,they also controlled Greens and in 1910, when his executors had Towcester and when sold by him in 1919 land was leased from the Duke of Grafton, Norton works. The At this time who paid a Lady Day rent of £60 p.a. the tenants were H.A. & H.G. Savage, the belonging to the tenants, and one to them were two tramways 'or trolley lines', one Grand Junction Canal Co. and Chowns (Builders) of Northampton II, there was a shortage of bricks, After World War Booth, come from Glenn's works at Buttocks over the site. Harry Bath, who had took kilns and rebuilt, or built new, from about 1946 and built two new updraught managed the site time cari be had. remains, a picture of working at this the buildings now standing. From the hand hauled in wooden side tipping up in the south west of the site, and Clay was worked The wagons were cable track up to the clay receiving shed. wagons, running on 'Jubilee' This into a hopper above the pug-mill below. hauled to the top of this and then tipped Ltd. of , fed directly an built by Brightside Foundry & Engineering Co. latter, since there is a brick chimney was one drying shed, possibly heated, extrusion die. There to plans were filed in 1946/7 but these seem in the centre of it. Even more ambitious In fact the kilns appear to have had have been shelved and the works closed about 1949. little use. (SP 960829) in the earlier years by John, and K.O.D. 1877-1901. A small brickworks operated by Geo. Siddons (see Oundle), who put in later by William Gray, it was eventually owned a manager. SYRESHAM formerly famous for the manufacture of ,Whellan in 1849 remarks that 'the place was estimation'. bricks, but the kilns here are not now in particular (SP 619412) by John Lovesay in 1866. This pit is not noted in 1849 but is being worked succeeded him until sometime after 1892. Mrs. Eatchelor, and later William Rodknight THENFORD (SP 322440) who also held the 'Dolphin Inn' in K.O.D. 1866-1877. Operated by Thomas Smith Middleton Cheney. THURNING (TL 096831) A small works closed by 1901. TOWCES1ER two brickmakers are shown in the Militia There were brickyards here by at least 1773 as Liste. (SP 684478) By 1820 this site is known as Brickkiln Meadow. (SP 703477) (one in the middle of the road!) and it A map of 1827 shows two small brickkilns here Sheppard (of Burcott Lane). is assumed-these were the ones worked by Richard (SP 704507) here by the side of the Tiffield At least between 1827 and 1865 a small yard was worked The site appears to have been Brook and north of the Towcester to Northampton road. to Olney Junction railway, except that there obliterated by the building of the Towcester with trees on the south side of the road. is a somewhat waterlogged depression planted Estate, and was probably closed when The yard was probably operated by the Easton Neston -25-

(SP 706509) Neston Estates workings, which included This large brickworks was part of the Easton 1880. It was operated by the Easton extensive.iron ore mining, and was built about name changed to the Towcester Mineral and Estates & Mining Co. Ltd. until 1889, when its on the north side of the site which was connected Brick Co. Ltd. A large pit was worked later replaced by an overhead ropeway. Pressed to it by a cable hauled tramway. This was Hoffmann continuous kiln was installed. The bricks were produced and shortly after 1885 a Originally the works were served by a production was approximately 1 million per year. to the Towcester to Blisworth line, near standard gauge branch, about a mile long running Olney Junction line was built and traffic Towcester Ironworks but in 1892 the Towcester to Northampton road to a junction with this. then went east, over the level crossing with the The works closed about 1902. (SP 691501) Tiffield road, was opened in 1854 This yard, on the north side of the Towcester to by George Savage (see Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth). worked here, one giving a red-brown-blue brick, TtAlo bands of upper Lias clays were blue (this was used for drainpipes). and the cther, lower down, giving a much richer was used here. A horse driven pug-mill An interesting variant in the brickmaking process an x 9" mould. This was then was used and the tempered clay thrown into 18" x 9" engine was used). .This block was then compressed by a steam driven press (a portable this method of production was used wire cut into twelve bricks. It is not known whether bricks were left for a week to dry before at all Savage's pits. After this process, the of which held 34,000 bricks. transferring to one of the three downdraught kilns, each in that they share a common wall, Remains of two of the kilns survive and are of interest side only. The yard closed in 1906. thus each kiln had a row of ten fireholes on one (SP 961781) corner of the This works, opened in about 1867, was situated in the north-east to Stamford road. Built crossing of the railway at Twywell station by the Kettering yard was probably acquired by Thomas Walters, an iron ore proprietor in the area, the brewers) about 1873 when the Newbridge Iron by P. Phipps and Co. Ltd. (the Northampton were several kilns at work but Co. acquired the ironstone interests. By 1888 there by the middle 1890's the yard had closed. (SP 953776) to the south-west, both Clay for this brickyard was obtained from the iron ore mines by the Twywell Iron Ore Co. being owned by the Woodford House Estate (later, from 1882 when the brickworks was taken over by Ltd.) The latter were in use from 1866 to 1890 connected both to the mines and to the Plevins and Co. (Islip Iron Co.) The works was on which two locomotives worked Kettering to Stamford railway by a standard gauge branch, the First World War period but the traffic. The brickworks probably closed about extensive remains could be seen at least until 1960. UPPER WEEDON (SP 610572)

A yard is noted here in 1834 on the 0.S. 1" map. (SP 622588) derelict by 1900. This site was worked by Charles Wills about 1885. It was

WAPPENHAM (SP 636462) James Hinson, who also kept the This small yard, operating about 1885, was worked by It had a single kiln and was disused 'Stocking Frame' in Abthorpe and was a wheelwright. by 1900. WATFORD (SP 599681) Operated by Robert Wait, and K.O.D. 1877-1885. A small yard, with a single kiln, the site is now under the Watford later by Wm. Burgess. By 1901 it was disused, and Service area of the . - 26 -

WEEDON BECK (SP 627584) in Weedon in 1877. and Son both had yards Pinfold and Edmund Roberts it. William is not known who worked derelict by 1900, .and it The brickyard above was WELLINGBOROUGH on 1821 and 1865 maps. (SP 907680) Kilns shown 1835 1" 0.S. (SP 886691) Kiln shown on 1865 map. (SP 882679) Kiln shown area bounded by High middle of the.town, in the This works, in the 1883 but may have (SP 892678) Street, was disused by Outlaw Lane, and St. John's Street, Broad Green, least 1830. Butcher family since at been that operated by the Rixon and Co. lay in the built about 1870 by James 904693) This brickworks, the , (SP road bridge over by the Wellingborough to ore north west corner line to Stantongate iron in 1874 ran from the main south of the tramway which quarries at Finedon,. and opened his own ironston6 In the same year Rixon the brickworks. quarries. on a site north west of his first furnace into blast rectangular by 1886 had put on the southern side, a was large, with a pit by 1883 the brickworks appear to have worked until Even the main line. The works kiln, and sidings from over from Rixon's in continuous Iron Co:Ltd: which took presumably by Wellingborough in the pit. at least 1927 enough to require a tramway 1900 they had become extensive 1889, and by he had built Walter Neilson junior after small yard was worked by (SP 907704) This near Finedon, down to the lime and ironstone interests gauge tramway from his half way down. Brick a 2'4" south side of this about The yard was on the Donald. Midland Railway. the managership of Robert and the works was under and tiles were made here about 1890. It probably ceased work is noted as working in' of this site a brickworks 884675) Just to the west works here. By (SP Brick and Tile Co. has a 1877 the Wellingborough 1835 and at least by dpwndraught as well as extensive kiln and a small circular 1887 there was large Hoffmann had gone. The works probably west. By 1901 the downdraught tramways in the pits to the War period. closed about the First World works here in the first years Brick Co. started a modern (SP 903688) The Midland closed about 1950. of the 20th century. It (SP 642727) 1901. Owner not known. in 1891 but was disused by A small yard is mapped here

WELTON known. the sites of neither being Two yards were worked here, 1841-1866 Worked by Samuel Howard K.O.D. 1866-1885.(see also Daventry) Worked by George Green K.O.D.

WESTON (SP 582462) and later by Alfred yard operated by John Branson K.O.D. 1849-1885. A small Seckington. A single kiln. WILBY here in 1835 (SP 867667) A kiln is shown Worked by two kilns. K.O.D. 1849-1901. A medium sized yard with (SP 871665) family. By 1926 the site was least and later by the Thompson John Pratt until 1866 at Water Works. the Wellingborough R.D.C. WOLLASTON (SP 912624) with the Pollard family,. was small This brickfield, operated by K.O.D. 1877-1889. also a lime kiln. of the same site there was a single kiln. On the north

V7,17,7775 722.1e-Jee:-E 7:7 73-Teen. 'kiln. Operatea bcnit 13E5 A small yard with a single by 1901. - 27 - APE (TF 0)4061)

In this yard, west of Burghley Park, near Stamford, a band of Lower Estuarine clay, i to feét in thickness, was worked for terra-cotta making. The clay consisted of almost pure silicate of alumina with a little fine grained sand. Poole white clay was mixed with this, and when burned, produced a cream coloured terra-cotta. A Mr. Lumby 'jas the proprietor. By 1880 at least the working had ceased and the only signs in the area were buildings known as 'Terracotta House' and 'Terracotta Maltings'. YARDLEY GOBION (SP 776454) Brickkilns are shown at the Peace and Plenty Wharf here in 1827. They were worked intil at least 1849 by the Foxley family (see Greens Norton). 7ELVERTOFT

Thomas Adams made bricks and tiles here in 1849. The site is unknown.

Phis is in no way a complete list of the Northamptonshire brickyards, btt it is hoped that )thers reading it will be able to add to our knowledge, or be encouraged to do more work Dn some of the individual works.

ADDENDUM

3RDCWORTH (SP 733720) About 1920 a works was opened here by A Hamson, the local ironore operator. Two mall circular downdraught kilns were operated (20,000 capacity) and there was a lorizontal single cylinder Tangye steam engine to drive the machinery and haul wagons up rom the pits on the east of the site. About 1930 Hamson's son took over the yard and .eased it, first to two men, and shortly afterwards to a German. Conventional -ire cut bricks had been produced up to this time, but this latter lessee obtained a pecial set of dies from which produced bricks containing up to 105 square holes. 3y this time a rectangular continuous kiln had been erected.

In 1932/3 the works was taken over by the large Metropolitan and Yorkshire Brick Co. td. (they had 57 other works at this time). New plant was put in and a new pit on the orth side of the site was started. They traded under the title of the Brixworth Brick nd Tile Co. Ltd.

Clay was dug by a continuous scoop machine and from there fell into a hopper under hich ran a narrow gauge railway on which wagons were hauled by Ruston Hornsby diesel ocomotives. The clay was tipped onto a conveyor belt which took it to the dry pan dge roller mill (in this the rollersstay in a fixed position and the pan rotates). he clay was however soon discovered to be too plastic for this and a wet pan mill (i.e. ollers moving over a fixed pan) replaced it. Both were by Fawcett's of Leeds. Clay hen went through a double shaft mixer, high speed differential rollers, and pug-mill. fter extrusion through the die (which was of the type used in previous operations) the ricks were cut off individually by a 'Killer' machine which consisted of a knife actuated y the correct weight of clay being received. The knife was kept clean by means of a wire. 2 bricks so produced were automatically placed onto a pallet and a 'walking machine' took nese to a stacker which placed one on top of another until there were 12 in a pile. A ruck, running on rails, and fitted with forks took this pile to the humidified drying rooms -ere the bricks were dried in an atmosphere of warm air taken from cast iron ducting on the un roof and waste steam from the engine (which was a Bellis and Morcome vertical 200 h.p. achine). After drying, the first hand operation of the process was the loading of the lin trucks to be taken through the tunnel kiln. This latter was 318 feet long and )ntained 34 trucks. Motion within the kiln was obtained by pushing a newly loaded truck a with a hydraulic rani. Thus one car was pushed out at the other end. A loaded truck Dok 5 days to pass through the kiln.

Most of the brickmaking machinery was by Steenbugge, a German firm.

The clay here had too high a lime content for the multi-hole bricks produced, which .':.ayed rapidly in use. The works closed about 1937. - 2b -

COUNTIES REPORTS OF INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE INDIVIDUAL

BEDFORDSHIRE

Studies

South Northamptonshire. Ancient Iron Smelting in North Bedfordshire and border covering some A detailed field survey of the Northamptonshire-Bedfordshire fall within the approximate rectangle 60,000 acres has been made. The areas surveyed to Raunds in the north and Lavenden between:the Nene and Ouse Rivers, from Wollaston (Bucks) to Milton Ernest in the south.

has been found. These areas are of A total of 151 areas of black, dense iron slag different types, the extremes being: with an .(1) a concentrated area 30-60 ft. across adjacent area stained red with iron oxide, and slag (ii) ill-defined areas with scattered black covering up to an acre or more. none is found on the ironstone The distribution of the slag areas is interesting because on the high, glacial claylandS mostly soils of this part of Northamptonshire, and all are that the ironstone was taken to the above the 275 ft. ordnance contour. This suggests -woodland where the necessary charcoal was made. an area overlies an The dating of the slag patches is not yet clear. At the slag was post Belgic. The B site, and at Harrold excavation proved that been shown locally to have been areas were ploughed out by mediaeval fields which have infill a twelfth century complete by 1300, and at Thurleigh slag was used as building in to be contemporary, it would seem that wall. Therefore, assuming all these patches they are Roman or Saxon.

Harrold and Easton Maudit. Both Only two samples have been'analysed so far, those from calcium, showing that no flux contained about 50% iron, a lot of silicon and very little was lacking. It is intended had been used and that knowledge of iron smelting chemistry whether they are all contemporary. to examine samples from each patch to try and establish

A full account of this work will be published in this Bulletin.

D.N. Hall (The Pyghtle, Milton Ernest, Bedford) and J.B. Hutchings.

BERKSHIRE

Studies

Abingdon Berkshire Industrial Archaeology A successful day was spent in Abingdon when members of the produced a great deal of Group did one of their now familiar walks around the town. This with agriculture. In interest. Abingdon has a wealth of the industries associated public house breweries. addition to the great brewery of Morlands there are one or two of malting design from the The maltings which exist around the town present a history 17th Century to the present day. J.K.M.

Brickworks brickworks of Berkshire. In During the summer more work has been done on the small where an M4 Contractor is now particular the Brickworks at Pinewood, north of Newbury, housing his plant and heavy earth moving equipment. J.K.M. - 29 -

Foundry Cupola which was displayed '-.fogombe has produced a model of the Bucklebury ._hibition associated with the International Federation of Foundrymen at Brighton. of the history of castings jff"Produced a magnificent exhibition covering all the facets this country. J.K.M.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Studies

Gas Engine at Sewage Pumping Station (SP 997791) hoping to obtain The Corby, Kettering and District Industrial Preservation Society are at the custody of this engine for preservation. It is believed to have been installed excellent turn of the century but has now been out of use for some years. It is in an

engine has a . state of repair and is housed in a dry and substantial building. The dimensions horizontal single cylinder, approximately 6" bore x 10" st.roke. The overall 2 flywheels, one at each end of are 6'--.5" long, 4'-3" high and 4'6" wide. There are iron base, the crankshaft. The engine weighs about 15 cwt and is mounted on a cast artefact it is also of about 15 awt so that if the Society is given custody of this hoped, in the initial stages, to preserve it on site. (P.W. Lawrence)

United Counties Omnibus Co. Ltd. The company is collecting information and photographs (see Appeals, page 34) its relevant to the undertakings history, which may be published in a booklet to mark Golden Jubilee in September 1971. The United Counties developed from the Wellingborough Motor Omnibus Company which was formed in 1913 and since that time many other operators have been absorbed by the company. Long Buckby

As part of the Summer Term Course 'Old Crafts and Industries' at the University Centre, Northampton, Mr. H. Clifton led an evening's exploration of Long Buckby. The highlight was the discovery of a wool-comb (unfortunately with most of its 'teeth' missing) At one time above a window in the workshops belonging to Mr. R.H. Newitt (SP 634677). Long Buckby had 40 woolcombers (Militia Lists for 1777) but by 1851, there was only one woolcomber in the census return for the village - and he was 73 years old! This would indicate that the wool-comb found could be quite old. The rest of Mr. Newitt's workshops were also of interest, with blacksmiths forge and bellows and, outside the wheelwright's shop, tyre rolls and a wheeling platform.

Towcester Ironworks (SP 693503) The same course from the University Centre made a trial excavation on the site of the former Towcester Ironworks. Trenches across what were thought to be foundations for some of the machinery (indicated by lines of red bricks, from which protruded long (2 ft.) iron bolts) revealed masses of broken bricks and, within a depth of about 18 inches, successive layers of small white stones and what resembled burnt iron-ore. Also on the upper level, clearing the nettles and lifting the turf, disclosed a layer, about 3 inches deep, of fine dark red powder, in colour if not in texture, resembling the products of calcining clamps elsewhere in the county. A sample of the powder was taken for subsequent chemical analysis. Below the powder, was a layer of red bricks, placed herringbone fashion to form a rough floor or storage platform. On the lower level, most of the activity was spent in trying to follow a long inclined brick-lined tunnel, about 3 feet high. The 'mouth' of this was found behind some nettles and the debris was cleared but there was insufficient time (or inclination?) to clear out the falls of earth some distance down the tunnel.

Notes on the general history of this site are given on page 26 of issue No.11 of this Bulletin. Erection of Horse-wheel at Billing Mill p.14 and 9, p.16) from Eversholt Mill (see Bulletins No.8, The horse7wheel Group at the Museum by the Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology is being re-erected drawings of the (SP 814611). Members of the group.prepared of Milling at Billing Mill these necessary to support the horge-wheel and brick walls and columns and timber beams About twelve members helped to lift erected by the Billing Aquadrome Company. were fix the top bearing to the larger gear wheel into position and the upright shaft and in an old The bottom of the upright shaft was supported one of the wooden bearings. was up in position until the upright shaft stone-spindle cup bearing which was packed was cemented into position in the ground. truly vertical. Later, this cup-bearing held up due to some of the bearings being Assembly of the rest of the horse-gear is Billing (see Appeals, page 34). incomplete when the parts were delivered to

Early iron smelting in Northamptonshire

(a) See also under 'Bedfordshire' 'Old Crafts and Industries' field walking by the University Centre's (h) As a result of are being area in April, several specimens of slag course in the Wilbarston- Sciences Department, Lanchester Polytechnic, analysed by Mr. R. Rushton, of the Applied pleased to hear from anyone who has had Eastlands, Rugby. Mr. Rushton would be experience of analysing similar samples.

Steam Saw-Eench Works the at the Percival Guildhouse, Rugby and at The Old Crafts and IndUstries Courses held for an evening visit in May to the yard of University Centre, Northampton, combined at Welford (SP 641806). Jim and Jack Vaughan, Pencing Contractors, type traction engine (Number The Vaughan brothers had their Burrel 6 HP 'Devonshire' manoeuvring the engine to belt onto 3262, built in 1910) in steam and demonstrated and then proceeded to saw several tree their Allchin (of Northampton) rack saw bench engine was taken back across West Street trunks into planks. The sawing completed, the workshop where they talked about their to its shed adjacent to the Vaughan brothers Jack Vaughan then demonstrated the collection of old tools used in country crafts. finished in "The'Shoulder of Mutton" with art of making Corn dollies and the evening reminiscences of the good old days of steam.

Exhibitions "Industrial Archaeology of Northamptonshire" a fine collection of items associated with The Northampton Central Museum, which contains an added attraction from 25th April to 9th the boot-and-shoe manufacturing industry, had Industrial Archaeology of Northamptonshire, May, when it housed an exhibition on the Group. presented by the Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology selection of its work in the County, The Group's aim was to present a representative by'Industrial Archaeology; then, showing firstly, the variety of subjects embraced early pottery industry, as at Lyveden, the wide time-span covered by it, e.g. from the finally, to show the use of the different to the recent methods of gas production; and techniques in recording the subject. on the grounds that some The purist might find reason to criticise the exhibition industries were either industries such as the leather-manufacturing and aircraft Probably this means that the Group has scarcely or not at all given space there. in these fields. Certainly the yet to attract new members who will do research and bibliographical notes, helpful and well-illustrated catalogue, with explanatory or even pioneering research. excellently afforded the basis for further study, photographs, plans and diagrams, and The various displays were described in a wealth of to brewing, and such native copies of related documents, and ranged from farming to ironstone-quarrying. Northamptonshire industries from boot-and-shoe manufacturing exhibits which Lnterested me. Close to It is possible here only to mention particular were photographs of railings, gates information regarding Northampton foundries, there town today and display attractive examples of and balconies, which can be found in the a well-illustrated diagram indicating the craftsmanship in ironwork. Another item was County; whilst the Ue of steam" was recalled sites of watermills and windmills in the famous classes or liss which recaptured closed branch lines and stations, and the Blisworth Hill 401°Pr locos. in action in Northamptonshire. Finds from with the nearby canal - ../Fâi,'.1800-5 were on show, together with objects associated qpaYnted cabin-stool, water-can, and a masthead lamp. ik of the people of Northampton in 1862. AeSéarch had been made into the shopping habits stationers at that A surprising fact was that there were nineteen book-sellers and date! Gallopers, which Mr. Arthur Jeffs had made a model of the famous George Billings' and the could be seen for some forty years at fairs both in Northamptonshire surrounding counties. listed in the catalogue Finally, a word about the "Victoria Road, Northampton exhibit, mixture of industrial under the term "The Industrial Environment". This indicated the in the part of and domestic buildings that are intermingled with shops and public-houses churchyard and the Northampton bounded by Road, Billing Road, St. Edmund's but one can Wellingborough Road. There is still. some boot-and-shoe activity thei'e, the Masque Theatre, and even find now on exploring the area more unusual activities as a friendly lot, despite the a repairer of invalid cars. The residents are in the main people's cars! The fact that every working day their streets are filled with other the county general atmosphere reminds me very much of Wolverton and across in Buckinghamshire. border . Obviously very large pieces of machinery could not be included, but I noted a number. a Winnowing of medium-sized and smaller objects: pieces from the Billing Mill Museum; engine, Machine by Henry Cooch of Harlestone, c. 1900; a Ruston-Hornsby 211 HP Paraffin work, used on a cross-cut saw, and an Amamo 2i HP petrol engine used on general farm both engines dating from the early 19001s. Also to be seen were an "Improved Brick, working Tile and Pipe Machine" made by Page & Co. of Bedford, c. 1860, an excellent and models model of the Wellingborough U.D.C. sewage disposal pump, dismantled in 1967, well as of L.M.S. loco. "Duchess of Montrose" with Compound No.911 and No.1089, as for the Webb's L.N.W.R. locomotive 955, "Charles Dickens". A fascinating'late entrant East Midlands Electricity Board's display was an early eleAric washing machine. The Museum, Mr. Starmer and the Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, are to be congratulated on this exhibition, which I hope will have encouraged many new contacts and new recruits, whilst fostering goodwill for the study of Industrial Archaeology in Northampton and the surrounding countryside. (Robert Ayers)

Publications et al. 1. "Industrial Archaenlogy in Northamptonshire" by Geoffrey H. Starmer krailable from Northampton Central Museum, Guildhall Road, Northampton NN1 1DP. Price 4s.6d. This 30 page booklet, with 10 excellent although inadequately captioned photographs (nowhere is it stated that the windmill shown on the front cover was at King's Cliffe or that the Manfield Building, shown on the rear cover, is on Campbell Square, Northampton) was prepared for the Industrial Archaeology Exhibition - see above. Although referring to the items displayed in the exhibition, the information complemented the exhibits so that the booklet is of more lasting value than a mere catalogue and, indeed, is likely to become a work of reference for those interested in the history, particularly the industrial history of Northamptonshire.

Apart from some general notes on the industrial archaeology of the county and Industrial Archaeology techniques, the booklet contains 24 separate sections covering the following activities:- Pottery Industry, Stone Quarries, Brickmaking, Iron-ore mines and quarries, Ironworks, Farming, Iron Foundries, Manufacturing (Textiles and the Northampton Cotton Mill), Engineering, Windmills, Watermills, Steam Mills, Breweries, Boot and Shoe Industry, and Industrial Environment, Power, Roads and Bridges, Rivers and , Railways, Trade Commerce, Gas Supply, Electricity Supply, Water Supply and the Entertainment Industry. - 32 -

more details on a particular are general notes followed by Under each section, there spread of the general information mentions the example: in the case of Engineering, shoe and the later mechanisation of the to farming during the 19th century mechanisation now be classified as engineering. the rise of businesses which would industry as influencing engineering firms in of the older-established agricultural There are references to some to the sage did not develop in Northampton the county but also reasons why engineering This general information on engineering Coventry, Peterborough and Rugby. extent as in Wm. Allchin, Engineer of the history and products of is followed by a more detailed account and Millwright of Northampton. It is surprising covering relevant books and articles. Each section has a bibliography, Northampton- aspects of Industrial Archaeology in how much has already been written about the bibliographies - no reference there are some unexpected omissions in shire although appeared in No.12 of this "Northampton Iron Foundries" which to Eric Instone's article on Past and in Campbell Square" in Northamptonshire Bulletin or of Victor Hatley's "Monsters Present, 4, 1, 1966, pages 51-59. such an excellent publication to be congratulated on producing The Northampton Museum is Archaeology maintain an interest in the Industrial which should do much to encourage and of the county. D.W.

Northampton Victor A. Hatley and George Freeston. 2. "Rails over Blisworth Hill" by (211p) including postage from Victor A. Historical Series No.2. Available at 4s.4d. Hatley,14A The Crescent, Northampton NN1 4SB. first published under the title "The Blisworth This is a second edition of a pamphlet Hill Railway 1800-1805." which was laid down in the story of Northamptonshire's First Railway The first part is the two to form a temporary connection between 1800 between Blisworth and Stoke Bruerne the Blisworth Tunnel was completed in 1805. sections of the Grand Junction Canal until manner, and at the same time the numerous The story is presented in a most interesting undertaken by Mr. Hatley. The account is references indicate the historical research remains of the railway but is is disappointing concluded by a description of the physical Northamptonshire Industrial that no reference is made to the excavations by the in 1969 (reported in No.9 of this Archaeology Group on the route of the railway Bulletin, July 1969, p. 14). Third Railway (The The second part of the book is concerned with Northamptonshire's Canal, to Northampton from 1805- Second connected Gayton wharf, on the Grand Junction quarry opened in 1821 on land belonging to 1815) which was built to serve a limestone indicate that the 'rail road' was built the Duke of Grafton. Mr. Freeston's 'notes' useful estate papers can be in providing soon after the quarry was opened and show how industrial activities. information on G.H.S.

OXFORDSHIRE

Studies

Fawler. later periods, visited the fascinating The Oxford Museum's Study Group concerned with mines, limekilns, clay pits and complex at Fawler, consisting of ironstone quarries, a full record and survey will be made of a brick kiln (SP 369171). It is hoped that this site.

Combe Saw Mill (SP 416151) attention to the boiler and an extension Work is steadily proceeding, and with a little towards the end of the summer. to the chimney, a test firing might be accomplished work should contact John Rivers, Those who are interested in assisting with this 2 Southdale Road, Oxford (Tel: 40611) - ) -

sckworks - dill Foreman and Eric Cooper have surveyed a brick drying yard at Baynarea:Green; Eynsham (SP 408104)

Museums - The new Director of the Oxford City and County Museum is Richard' A. Foster, B.Sc.., M.A., A.M.A., lately Keeper, Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Centre.' Mr'. -Foster has specialised in Economic History at the London School of Economics and his research' M.A. degree is in Vernacular Architecture from the University of Manchester. 'For his Museum Diploma he specialised in Folk Life. The new Assistant Field Officer is Mick Aston, B.A. He,is a graduate in Geography from Birmingham University. He has specialised in certain.aspéots of mediaeval,,.

topography and is working on a D.Phil. thesis in this field. '

Courses

"An Introduction to Industrial Archaeology". Oxford City and County Museum.. Tutor: Mick Aston. Further information from the Museum, Fletcher's House, Woodstock, Oxford.

INDEX TO BUTJFTINS 10-13 The numbers after each item indicate the number of the Bulletin and, after the-éroke,' the page number in that Bulletin, e.g. 10/14 refers to Bulletin No.10, page 14.

(R) immediately after the page number, shows that the reference is to a review of .a.' publication on the item.

Aerial photography, Courses Northamptonshire Iron Ore Workings 10/14 Kettering (Geology 12/41

Techniques 12/42 Knuston Hall (Canals) . 11/39 Bell founders and clay pipes 10/12 Northampton(Old Crafts &IndustrieS)12/40 Bell founding, at Loughborough 11/35(R) Reading (I.A.). '.11/38 Bicycle Manufacture, Rushden 12/40 Woodcote (I.A.) 12/41 Blacksmiths shop, Long Buckby 13/29 Woodstock (I.A.) - 13/33 Boot and Shoe Manufacture "Diesel" engine, filming an early 13/3 Northampton 11/7 Engines, see Gas:Engines- Long Buckby (Yorke & Sons) 10/18 Steam Engines - r. Rushden 12/40 Engineering, Britannia Works,Banbury10/20(R) Breweries, Abingdon 13/28 Excavations, Towcester Ironworks 13/29 Bradfield School 11/38 Exhibitions, Burford, (Games) 10/20 Hannington Steam Week-end '10/19 Northampton 11/38,13/7 'Horse & Man' at Northampton 11/39,12/40 Brickworks I.A. in Northamptonshire ' 11/5,13/30 Baynards Green, Eynsham 13/33 Leighton Buzzard Light Railway10/14,11/36 Berkshire 12/39 Paintings by Lawrence Cummings. 10/19 Fawler, Oxon. 13/32 Upper Boddington Vintage.Fair 10/19 Northamptonshire 13/8 Fairs, Northamptonshire 12/8 Pinewood 12/39,13/28 Film, Early "Diesel" engine 13/3 Reading (Colliers) 11/12 Wolverton Works10/3 Wickham 11/37 Flashlocks on English Waterways 16/12(R),13/35 Bulletin 11/2,13/2 Fulling Mill,,Standiake, Oxon. 13/4 anals, Gas Engines, in Northampton 11/10 Banbury Boat-Building Yard 10/20(R) at thrapston 13/29 Berks and Wilts 12/10 Gas-making, Banbury 10/20(R) Northampton Arm, Grand Junction 10/18 Bedford 10/13 'Chronicle' - BBC Television 10/11,11/5'42/2 Newbury 11/37 ;lay tobacco pipes and bell founders 10/12 Horse-mill, Spinfield, Marlow 12/39 3onferences Woolley Park 10/5

Bath : Industrial Archaeology 11/4 Horse-wheel,Billing Mill 13/30 'Future of Industrial Archaeology' 11/3 Ice-house', Spinfield, Marlow 12/39 ;.B.A. Industrial Archaeology in Northants.13/31(R) Conference : Future of I.A. 11/3 Iron Foundries, Bucklebury 13/6,13/29 Membership 10/1 Northampton 12/2 T.B.A. Group 9 Wantage 12/10 Annual Conference 10/12.11/5 %.

- 34 -

part of 10/17,11/6 13/28 Northampton,Victorian-Survey Early working in Bedfordshire 10/13 Iron, Pottery, Roman near Heath & Reach " in Northants11/17,12/9,13/30 Railways, Iron-ore, Mines & Quarries 13/32(R) 10/14 Blisworth Hill Earls Barton 12/39 13/32 Blisworth-Peterborough Fawler, Oxon. 12/40 10/14 Branch Finedon Hill 10/14,11/37(R) 10/14 Leighton Buzzard Light Light 11./14 Leighton Buzzard.& Hitchen Islip 10/6,10/15,12/40(R) 12/10 10/16 Wantage Tramway Loddington 10/13,11/35,12/41 10/15 Roman Archaeology & I.A. Storefield & Reach 10/13 11/39(R) Sand'Quarries, near Heath Wellingborough Buzzard Light Railway 11/30,12/42 See also Leighton Ironworks, Corby Welford 13/30 11/26 Saw bench & steam engine, Cransley 13/32 11/21 Sawmills, Combe Finedon Wexham 11/38 11/20 Rowley Park Farm, Heyford 13/29 11/25 Sewage, pumping station; Thrapston Hunsbury 11/11 Northampton Irthlingborough 11/22 Shops, Islip 10/16 Societies, 11/28,12/42 Corby,Kettering & District Kettering 10/19,11/39 11/17 Industrial Preservation Northamptonshire 10/20 11/20 Steam engines, at Combe Mill Stowe Brewery,Burford 10/20 ' ,Garnes Towcester 11/26,13/29 11/10 11/29 Use in N'pton Boot & Shoe Industry Wellingborough 11/11 Furniture, Northampton Wellingborough(East End) 11/18 Street 11/36 Tramways, see Iron Ore Quarries Laundry, Steam Dunstable 10/17 also Railways Leather, Page's Mill, Wellingborough 13/29 13/32 United Counties Omnibus Co.Ltd. Lime kiln, Fawler 11/36 Watermills, Limeworks, Forders, Sewell 11/38,12/19 10/9,10/10 Northamptonshire Limestone Quarries, Islip 13/2 11/36 Oxfordshire Main Drainage, Houghton Regis 10/17 11/38,13/28 Page's,,Wellingborough Maltings, Abingdon 11/38 12/39 Rowley Park Farm Berkshire 11/13 Tihgewick, Bucks. Mills, see Fulling-mills 12/10 Wantage Horse -mills 10/2 Water-mills Witney shop, Long Buckby 13/29 Wind-mills Wheelwright's 12/40 Windmills, Mineral Water Manufacture, Rushden 10/20 10/21 Great Haseley Museums, Bafibury 11/38,12/11 10/20 Northamptonshire Burford, Tolsey 13/2 10/20 Oxfordshire Filkins & Broughton Pages 12/40 Rushden Oxford City & County 13/33 10/3 12/39 M4 Motorway 13/29 Woolcomb, at Long Buckby National Record of Industrial Monuments 10/12,11/35,13/2

APPEALS

Derngate, Northampton Mr. R.M. , United Counties, United Counties Omnibus Co.Ltd. operators vehicles or premises (or those of the appealing for any photographs of its is Second World War. He would Counties) taken before the end of the absorbed by the United of a Golden that could be of value in the preparation also welcome any other information produce in September 1971. Jubilee booklet the company hopes to (2 Eldon Road, Reading) have nearly Mills. John Carter and Kenneth Major Oxfordshire by the Carfax for their forthcoming book to be published completed the fieldwork old photographs grateful to know of anyone who has Publishing Co. in 1971. They would be could borrow. or prints of Oxfordshire Mills which they Road, Northampton, NN3 2RE, would for Horse-wheel. G.H. Starmer, 17 Mayfield Bearings blocks, with brasses of a set of cast-iron'plummer welcome information on the whereabouts block The holes for holding down the bottOm to suit a 1-a"/1,i" outside diameter shaft. items are required for use in the re-erection should be approximately 8i" apart. These ling Mill. of the horse-gear at the Museum of Mil1ing?E4 ; nxrene.