Stewartby Brickworks Dec 2015

mookster · Dec 6, 2015

Over five years ago I made my first trip to Stewartby Brickworks and only saw the less interesting half of the site due to there being many workers around the place with forklifts and stuff. After that it's a place I kind of forgot about, I moved on to other things but while looking for something relatively nearby to explore I suddenly remembered about the old place.

Getting on site was just as easy as five years back however in the time between my visits they have gone totally mad with the palisade fencing, putting it over almost every single doorway and opening into the buildings. Luckily we found a tight squeeze into the building and we were in. I wasn't too bothered about the side with the chimneys as that is the stuff I saw back in 2010 but was very pleased to see the more interesting building across the railway line.

Stewartby Brickworks was home to the world’s biggest kiln and produced 18 million bricks at the height of production.

BJ Forder & Son opened the first brickworks in Wootton Pillinge in 1897.

Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks.

The firm became London Brick Company and Forders Limited in 1926, and shortened to London Brick Company in 1936.

At the height of the industry’s production there were 167 brick chimneys in the Marston Vale.

In the 1970s Bedfordshire produced 20% of England’s bricks.

At its peak London Brick Company had its own ambulance and fire crews, a horticultural department and a photographic department, as well as its own swimming pool inside the factory, and ran a number of sports clubs.

More than £1 million was spent on Stewartby Brickworks in 2005-7 in an attempt to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.

The factory used Lower Oxford Clay, which is made up of 5% seaweed, formed 150 million years ago when it was on the sea bed. This removed the need to add coal to the fire, as the organic material burned.

The brickworks closed in 2008 along with many other similar brickworks when there was a small issue with the economy, and has never reopened.

This was my 100th explore of 2015.

Thanks for looking, more here https://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/albums/72157661512086710

Sam Haltin · Dec 6, 2015

Now you've reached a century in urbex exploring. How will you celebrate, a bottle of plonk and fish 'n chips?

mookster · Dec 6, 2015

Hugh Jorgan said:
Now you've reached a century in urbex exploring. How will you celebrate, a bottle of plonk and fish 'n chips?

Reached the proper century in October 2011 but to do 100 in a year was my new years resolution

Sam Haltin · Dec 6, 2015

Ah, I must have read it wrong. 100 for 2015 just in one year, still quite an achievement and you deserve a pat on the back (and a fish 'n chips). Well done.

BikinGlynn · Dec 6, 2015

`Was that u guys in yesterday afternoon then??
Wanted to come over & say Hi, but u were doing a good disappearing act ;-)
Great place & u have some good shots there, I wont bother posting for a while on this one.

mookster · Dec 6, 2015

BikinGlynn said:
`Was that u guys in yesterday afternoon then??
Wanted to come over & say Hi, but u were doing a good disappearing act ;-)
Great place & u have some good shots there, I wont bother posting for a while on this one.

Nope, Sunday visit for us