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Hoxne Brickworks
The brick and tile works in Hoxne were operated by Charles Robinson between 1883 and 1888, followed by the Hoxne Brickworks Company and finally Banham and Son between 1925 and 1937, with pipe manufacturing continuing until 1965. However, brick manufacture on this site possibly dates back to a much earlier date (13th/14th century) and John Frere recorded brickworks at this site in 1797.
In 1797 John Frere sent a letter to Rev. John Brand, Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries describing his observations of flints, now known as palaeolithic hand-axes, being found in a hole dug by brickworkers in Hoxne. The only reaction to this letter from the Society was that he was thanked for his 'curious and most interesting communication'. His letter was subsequently published in Archaeologia (Vol. 13, 204-5) in 1800.
For this reason alone, Hoxne Brickworks earns its place in any local history, but the site has also given its name to a the Hoxnian Inter Glacial period.
During 1971-1974 and 1978 the last and most extensive archaeological excavations were undertaken on this site. These were directed in the field by John Wymer on behalf of Professor Ronald Singer of the Department of Anatomy, University of Chicago, in collaboration with numerous specialists.
By the latter part of the 19th century, the Hoxne brickyards had extended to both sides of the Hoxne to Eye road, the western more recent pit being known as the Oakley Park Pit, this being the place where the excavations were undertaken in the 1970s.
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The small circular kiln on the site may be contemporary with Banham's tenure of the site, but was rebuilt for pipe making in the late 1950's or early 1960s. The drying shed, damaged by fire in the 1960s, has been partially reconstructed and extended to the east. The machine shed to the west has been highly modified in the late 20th century, but contained a brick maker and clay extruder (made in the Sheffield Brightside foundry) for drainage pipe making, powered by a Fielding and Platt diesel engine of circa 1929, in use until brick and pipe making ceased on the site. Since the 1960s the site has had a variety of uses including a concrete crushing plant and storage. |
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For a short period from 1888 to 1900 this was the Depperhaugh Brickworks, and produced bricks impressed with the DB mark. The Depperhaugh Brickworks, Hoxne, Eye, Suffolk is listed in Kellys 1888 to 1900 editions. In the 1912 edition (next available) the listing is the Hoxne Brickworks Co. The works was south of Hoxne village next to Fairstead Farm. Both white and red bricks were produced as shown here. The name survives locally. In April 1869 a vestry meeting was held in Hoxne for 'the purpose of assessing the new house and buildings at Chickering called "The Depperhaugh", the property of Sir Baldwin Wake Walker Bart.' It was agreed that the gross assessment sould be £120 and the Rateable value £100. The Depperhaugh House, Cottage and 55 acres came up for auction in 1935 and today it survives as a nursing home. |
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The area today This old brickworks still has surviving buildings on site, including a kiln, shown here, and several other decaying industrial buildings. It is mainly used for storage and occasional heavy industrial processes.
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Summary of the owners or managers
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This article was compiled by David Addy based mainly upon material from "The British Brick Society" .
British Brick Society newsletter "Information No 26", April 2014,
Website - David Kitching's website - Brick Section
Website - Martyn Fretwell's blog on bricks etc
Photos of bricks by Martyn Fretwell courtesy of Museum of East Anglian Life.
Pathways to Ancient Britain website
Pathways to Ancient Britain Devereaux's Pit website
Page created on 24th August, 2023
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