Off the Beaten Track in Somerset: The Brick and Tile Industry in Bridgwater

The first commercial brickyards were set up in Bridgwater at the end of the 17th century. Local clay was used. The clay at Chilton Trinity was particularly good for making tiles. By 1850 there were 16 brickyards along both sides of the River Parrett and the brick and tile industry was the biggest employer in the town. The largest companies were Sealys, Colthurst & Symons, Barham Brothers and John Browne/Somerset Trading Company.

James Brydges, the 1st Duke of Chandos (1673-1744), acquired the manor and lordship of Bridgwater in 1721. From 1721 until c1735 he attempted unsuccessfully to establish Bridgwater as a major industrial centre. One of his ventures was a glassworks and a 33 metre high kiln or cone was built for it in 1725 from locally made bricks. Bottles and window glass were produced. However, it only functioned as a glass kiln until 1734. It was then converted to a pottery kiln and used to fire bricks and tiles. It continued to be used as a pottery kiln until 1939. The top part of the cone was demolished in 1943 but the lower section is still in situ at the junction of Northgate and Valetta Place and can be visited at any time.

In 1820 it was discovered that silt from the River Parrett in Bridgwater could be used to make scouring bricks. These became known as Bath Bricks because after firing they were turned a similar colour to Bath stone. Bath Bricks were patented by John Browne in 1827 and at its height millions of them were produced each year by 10 different Bridgwater companies and exported around the world. They were gradually replaced in the early 20th century by kitchen scourers like Vim.

Alfred Garratt Barham started up a cement company in Bridgwater in 1858. He was joined shortly after by his brother Francis Forster and the company became known as Barham Brothers. At first they made cement, hydraulic lime and plaster of Paris. They later made clay products for the building trade: mainly bricks, tiles, ornamental gable ends and chimney pots. Barham Brothers closed down in 1965.

Somerset Brick and Tile Museum is located in East Quay, Bridgwater. It is free to visit but is currently only open on Tuesdays. You can see the inside and outside of Barham Brothers last remaining kiln, which is now a scheduled ancient monument. The rest of the museum is in a former plain tile drying shed.