# Ewhurst Brickworks, Surrey - March 2017



## Brewtal (Mar 27, 2017)

I have been driving past this place for the last 3 years and it has taken me this long to actually hop over the fence and have a look around. I had planned to visit somewhere much further afield but after a last minute request from a mate to help with something I shelved that one for a later date. I was in the area and had my camera so thought why the hell not.

Some history from derelictmisc.org.uk

"Clay extraction for brickmaking began at Ewhurst Works c.1945 under A. Hone & Sons, though many of the buildings on site (including the kilns) are later than this, having been erected in the 1960s. The small works comprised sand and additive hoppers, factory buildings, four drying tunnels, a Nissen hut canteen and seven intermittent downdraught kilns connected by underground flues to a central smokestack. A 2' gauge tramway brought clay from a small pit to the south.

The works closed c.1977 and by the early 1990s had become a haven for wildlife, home to bats, foxes, deer and owls. It was here that I first experienced derelict spaces, c. 1995 and I found plenty here to hold my interest: trees sprouting up through cracks in the roofs, coats still hanging up in the canteen, the last load of bricks still in the kilns and unidentifiable machinery slowly rusting into the ground. In 2004, however, the main factory roof collapsed and diggers were brought in to clear the wreckage, also demolishing the canteen and sand hoppers, thus opening for the first time large areas of the site to become a canvas for graffitists who covered them in bright murals and tags. Since then, although several plans have been raised for dealing with the redundant site, none have come to fruition. Once again nature is colonising the bare concrete and for the most part Ewhurst Brickworks is being left to its own devices."


It was a nice lazy wander, I didn't think I'd have long there as it looked like it could start raining at any moment but it held off until the drive home. It isn't the most spectacular place, a lot of the good parts are long gone, but I liked the contrast between the bright colours of the graffiti and the dull grey sky. I would love to come back here in 10 years time and see how nature reclaims this place.

















































































I couldn't resist taking a one like this:





Thanks for looking!


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## Mikeymutt (Mar 27, 2017)

I enjoyed that mate.even though it's smashed up and full of graffiti.it adds to it


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## Gromr (Mar 27, 2017)

I do quite like this. Yeah its a ruined mess, but its pretty cool. The colourful graffiti is rather cool in the context of it tbh.


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## mockingbird (Mar 27, 2017)

Agree with Mikey graffiti adds to it  good report mate


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## darbians (Mar 27, 2017)

Last ones a cracker.


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## HughieD (Mar 28, 2017)

Great images Brewtal. Love the tension between nature reclaiming the site and the graff.


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## smiler (Mar 28, 2017)

Nice One, I enjoyed it, Thanks


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## prettyvacant71 (Mar 29, 2017)

The bright urban graff really contrasts with the natural surroundings, I really like the look of this place with the Silver Birch trees springing up around the kiln.

The moody sky adds to the atmosphere, well captured indeed


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