 |
|
 |
Ballingdon Grove Brickworks
This seems to be the best known Sudbury brickworks, as it survived until 1939, and a member of the Allen family was always associated with it. It was also closely involved with the River Stour and its canals and cuts made to access the Grove area.
One of the largest manufacturers in the Sudbury area was Allens of Ballingdon, which operated for over 140 years until 1939. They employed 100 men making both red and white bricks and also owned a brick-works at Gallows Hill (now Waldingfield Road).
Many of the bricks made at Ballingdon were transported by barge along the River Stour prior to the First World War. Ballingdon bricks were used in the Albert Hall and Liverpool Street Station.
|
 |
The Suffolk Heritage Explorer lists Ballingdon Grove Brickworks as monument record BCB 008, Three lime kilns at the Grove; Also location of major brickworks, Ballingdon Grove Works, operated by Robert Alfred Allen 1844 - 1858, R A Allen and sons 1865, Allen and Boggis 1922-1939. Lime burning was carried out at several chalk pits particularly around Sudbury. The lime was mainly used for agricultural purposes and sometimes chalk was used on the land without burning. The principal chalk and lime contractors were P. H. Jordan of Brundon and Chilton and Allen & Boggis Limited of Ballingdon and Waldingfield Road, Sudbury.
|
 |
|
 |
The area today As can be seen from the Suffolk Heritage Explorer map there is little or no trace of the brickworks remaining today.
|
 |
Summary of the owners or managers
|
British Brick Society newsletter "Information No 26, April 2014,
Suffolk Heritage Explorer Reference ELV 174 and ELV 008
Suffolk Review, Vol 5, 1980 - 1988 on ‘Suffolk Brickmaking’ by Robert Malster. (Suffolk Local History Council, Summer 1983, Vol 5, No 4).
Suffolk Industrial Archaeology Society newsletter No 21, September, 1988, "Brick Kilns in Suffolk" by C J Pankhurst
Website - David Kitching's website - Brick Section
Website - Martyn Fretwell's blog on bricks etc
Photos of bricks by Martyn Fretwell unless stated.
Page created on 2nd October, 2023
| Return to Brickmaking Homepage | Go to Trades and Industries Homepage | Last updated 2nd October 2023 | Go to Main Home Page |