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Click here for our Costessey
Brickwork's Photo Gallery |
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Costessey ornamental bricks are well known in
Norfolk and East Anglia although the yard on which they were
processed, was very small compared with the large concerns
in the Midlands and other districts which turn out ordinary
bricks by the million. At the busiest time at the Costessey
yard employment was found for about 40 men and boys. Brick
earth can be found in the majority of Norfolk villages and
most estates ran a small yard to produce bricks, sometimes
for cottages but mostly for farm buildings. On these small
yards wood was the fuel used for burning.
The date when bricks were first made in Costessey is
unknown, but old maps show a brick kiln on the Lodge farm,
close to the main Norwich Dereham road and the Norfolk
Agricultural ground. Probably after this yard was disuse
another start was made in the West End of Costessey
bordering on the Park, just opposite where Costessey Street
branches off to Ringland. Clay, both red and white, was
found by the Costessey boundary of the park, where the
ground slopes to the river Wensum. Remains of the original
kiln can still be seen, although the yard is now part of a
small farm.
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How many bricks were made before 1827
will never be known, probably not a large number. The then Lord
Strafford who owned two thirds of the parish had just had the
title restored and seemingly he wish to celebrate this by
building a modern mansion in the Tudor style, using bricks not
only for the sustaining walls but for the jambs and heads of
windows and doors, cornices, battlements and to crown all, many
ornamental brick chimneys of various designs. The period of the
building has been given as 1827-1834, but much was never
finished. Some windows were not glazed until everything had to
be trim and taut for the visit of the Prince and Princess of
Wales in 1866. If that great building was got together in seven
years, it must have been a pretty hectic time on that small
yard.
The architect was J. C. Buckler of Oxford who produced all the
intricate design for cornices, doors, windows, pinnacles and
chimneys. The pieces of brick for these were cast from wooden
moulds. Members of a family in Costessey name Hastings were
quite capable of copying the architect’s drawings and making
full size patterns for the carpentry. This work for Costessey
Hall, leaving many moulds ready for further use if needed, laid
the foundations of the yard from which bricks were made and
whilst dispatched for use in buildings over most of England.
Whilst the Hall was being built, George Gunton, himself the son
of a brick maker, was employed there making bricks. He was asked
by the then estate agent to take charge of the yard, which he
did. He moved to a cottage on the yard and remained there until
1861. Trade for many years was slow, although helped by the
building of St. Walston’s Catholic Church in the parish. The
Hastings family copied the designs and made the necessary wooden
moulds until the 1860’s. By that time a younger son of George
named William was found capable of doing this and from that time
until the yard closed it was his main job. When business
increased, especially in the 1890’s, he was helped by his son
William. George Gunton retired in 1868. His eldest son George
and his brother William (already mentioned) in the partnership
then took control. |
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From then on trade steadily
increased, until in the 1890’s when the yard was working to
capacity, employing 40men and boys and burning a kiln once a
fortnight throughout the year. Although it was generally though
the Costessey clay was good, this was not so, it contained small
pieces of chalk innumerable small stones which were only got rid
of by washing it out which added considerably to the expense.
This was done by loading a truck at the earth jamb and moving it
on rails to what was known as the ring. The clay was shot into
water around an island on which was an upright shaft bearing at
the top of a cogged horizontal wheel. Above the water,
projecting horizontally from the shaft at regular intervals were
four stout timbers. Attached to these were four equally stout
harrows much as used on a farm, but much stronger with stout
iron teeth a foot long. This structure drew the harrows round
and round, with power supplied by a steam engine. Water and
earth were added until the liquid would just flow. It was then
drawn off into a large but shallow pit to about 3 feet in depth
and allowed to gradually dry out. When this was accomplished the
washed clay was carted to the grinding mills in which it was
churned by the blades attached to an upright shaft and thus made
pliable for filling the moulds at the maker’s tables.
The maker’s tables were in two large sheds fitted with shelves
six or seven high. Thousands of feet of hot water pipes were
fixed in the alleys up and down 2 and 3 feet high. Bricks from
the moulds were places on boards; these were taken to the
shelves, remaining there until the brick could be handled. It
was then upended to allow for further drying. In many cases
these were of considerable weight and to aid drying and burning
in kiln, pieces of clay were gouged out of each brick, to be
filled with mortar when the brick was laid. These lightened
un-burnt bricks were then arranged along the hot water pipes
where they soon became hard enough to go to kiln and there to
sustain the weight of more bricks until the kiln was filled. The
actual burning in what was known as a Dutch kiln took at least
48 hours, sometimes longer. |
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From the 1870’s Costessey bricks where specified
by local architects for use in the growing suburbs of Norwich
for cornices, bay windows etc, in larger houses, jambs for heads
and windows and door and ornamental chimneys. Houses built in
many towns and villages of Norfolk had bricks form Costessey, so
had non-conformist churches in Norwich and indeed all over
Norfolk and Suffolk; and many hotels on the East coast.
Outstanding examples can be seen in St. Clements Salford; All
Saints Church Ipswich; the Baptist Church Brighton; Baptist
Catholic and congregational Churches in Lowestoft; many
buildings in Norwich, the Royal Hotel, Blind school in Magdalen
Street, technical school in St. Georges and many others
including a fine ornamental house opposite Thorpe station. There
were several of the large hotels built in Sheringham, Cromer and
Mundsley.
Although the firm had brickyards at Barney, West Runton and
Little Plumstead, mostly plain bricks were made there. At the
turn of the century (1900) architects ceased to specify bricks,
preferring other materials. The yard kept going with a slow
trade but the first world was stopped it completely.
The owner of the yard, Lord Stafford dies in 1913. His
successor, was already had a residence in Staffordshire decided
to sell in Costessey. A few fields were added to the one the
works stood on, Mr . William Gunton now sole owner, declined to
purchase them at the same. His son William continued at Little
Plumstead until the Second World War when he ceased entirely.
One can say from the use of ornamental bricks in Costessey Hall,
which were demolished, innumerable buildings all over the
Eastern half of England contain material known as “Costessey
bricks”. It should be added that William Gunton Sen. Who lived
only 2 months short of 97, by keeping on the business at Barney
became the master brickmaker in England. |
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Group of brickyard workers taken about 1905.
Form left to right:- John Briggs odd man, James Banham
brickmaker, George Gunton, (partner) , Wilfred Hostler kiln
setter, Philip Mathews labourer, Harry Banham brickmaer,
Albert Coward brickmaker, Frank….Fred barber brickmaker,
Barrel Dunham labourer, Jack…..Ernest Read, Bertie Breeze
labourer, Joe Mortar brickmaker, James Barnes brickmaker,
Billy Rix brickmaker, Wm Read labourer,. The hale behind the
group was used for storing white brickware and was on the
edge of Costessey Park |
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Brickyard group of workers
taken early this century, probably 1900. At the back is on
of the two kilns used. The shed was used in summer only for
brickmaking and storing. |
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The following series of photos
were taken at barney to show how hand made bricks were
produced. A copy of an article written by Mr H. E. Gunton to
Mr. Rex Wailes and published in a magazine, describes in
detail the process of hand brickmaking. |
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Above is the seam of clay
from which it was loaded into a truck and moving it on wheels to
be washed and dried out. |
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This photo is possibly that of
one of the Costessey brick kilns, the Barney one being quite
different. |
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Above are photos of a horse
pulling the shaft round the "mill" in which the clay was
made pliable for use and was then ready to fill and moulds
at the makers tables. |
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One of the old times who worked
at Costessey shown making roof copings. |
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Mr. Cowlings working on brick
pipes. |
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Here Mr. Cowlings is seen with a mould. |
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Stacks of tiles, from the
stacking they appear to have been fired and are ready for
sale. |
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Mr. Cowlings working on tiles,
he appears to be shaping the tops and preparing them for
firing. |
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Shaping the tops and preparing
tiles for firing. |
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Brick stacking |
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Brick stacking |
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Brick stacking |
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Brick loading |
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Firing the furnaces ready for
burning the bricks |
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At Costessey this took place
once a fortnight
throughout the year |
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The kiln being filled with
bricks |
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The kiln is full and being
sealed off prior to firing |
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