This is a place which I have been visiting since I was five when my dad took me there to look around.
Clay extraction on this site dates
back to the late 1940s, but the works buildings are later than this - most of the kilns and other buildings date to the 1960s.
At its peak the site comprised factory buildings, canteen, offices, drying kilns, firing kilns and sand towers. The works closed in the 1980s and was left as it was for a short period before roofing materials were salvaged for use in another brickworks nearby. After this, the site was left alone until early 2005 when the main factory collapsed - the was site temporarily fenced round and a few other buildings were pulled down.
Recently, the wall of one of the drying kilns collapsed and most were demolished as a 'safety measure' along with other buildings including the washrooms and office. This has left the site mostly bare - now it looks like the rest won't last much longer.
There isn't much to see now, but the kilns and old factory are probably worth a look, as are the murals. I don't normally like graffiti art, but these are pretty special; whole walls are covered with colourful artwork which must have taken hours.
RESOURCES:
County Council Assessment.
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/f8bf722ea9b58b0e80256c67004190b9/44cd71fe89dda13980257037003312e0/$FILE/SAR%202D%20Site%20L5.pdf
Pre Collapse Photos:
http://sub-urban.com/brick.htm
Post Collapse Photos :
http://geocities.com/derelicthorsham/Ewhurst.html
(Most recent photographs and re-write will be added soon, I'll post here when finished)
Selection of photographs taken this month in the Gallery:
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/gallery/browseimages.php?c=69
Clay extraction on this site dates
back to the late 1940s, but the works buildings are later than this - most of the kilns and other buildings date to the 1960s.
At its peak the site comprised factory buildings, canteen, offices, drying kilns, firing kilns and sand towers. The works closed in the 1980s and was left as it was for a short period before roofing materials were salvaged for use in another brickworks nearby. After this, the site was left alone until early 2005 when the main factory collapsed - the was site temporarily fenced round and a few other buildings were pulled down.
Recently, the wall of one of the drying kilns collapsed and most were demolished as a 'safety measure' along with other buildings including the washrooms and office. This has left the site mostly bare - now it looks like the rest won't last much longer.
There isn't much to see now, but the kilns and old factory are probably worth a look, as are the murals. I don't normally like graffiti art, but these are pretty special; whole walls are covered with colourful artwork which must have taken hours.
RESOURCES:
County Council Assessment.
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/f8bf722ea9b58b0e80256c67004190b9/44cd71fe89dda13980257037003312e0/$FILE/SAR%202D%20Site%20L5.pdf
Pre Collapse Photos:
http://sub-urban.com/brick.htm
Post Collapse Photos :
http://geocities.com/derelicthorsham/Ewhurst.html
(Most recent photographs and re-write will be added soon, I'll post here when finished)
Selection of photographs taken this month in the Gallery:
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/gallery/browseimages.php?c=69
