Knettishall Brick works 1904
Knettishall Brick Works 1904

By Hall Farm

Knettishall Brickworks

By the end of the 18th century Knettishall Heath was owned by the Riddlesworth Estate, based at Riddlesworth Hall a kilometre across the Little Ouse into Norfolk.

In 1785 the estate was sold to the banker, Sylvanus Bevan, whose "improvements " included planting 996,000 trees on the estate. He passed it to the Compton-Thornhill baronets who held it until 1949. The hall itself became a school in 1946.

Knettishall tithe map of 1840 names Sir Thomas Thornhill, owner of Riddlesworth, but the heath occupier was Jeremiah Matthew. Knettishall brickworks was shown as in existence in 1840 on this map.

Sand and gravel pits were historically dug to the east of the Heath. But boulder clay was dug where it underlies the sands and gravels on the eastern side. Chalk was also dug in places for marl to help create arable land.

In the 1970s the Heath was leased to Suffolk County Council as a country park, and in 2012 it was sold to Suffolk Wildlife Trust as a Nature Reserve.


Knettishall Heath Brickworks close up
 		The Suffolk Heritage Explorer lists Knettishall Brickworks as monument record KNE 016, Knettishall Brick Works, kilns and various buildings shown in pitted area on )" 25 inch map 1905. "A brickyard is recorded in 1844 and a brick and tile manufacturer in 1891. In 1983 shown as wooded.


Knettishall Brickworks site KNE 016 today
The area today

As can be seen from the Suffolk Heritage Explorer map there is little or no trace of the brickworks remaining today. Some remains of a 19th century kiln exist in the bottom of the now wooded pit.

In 2014 the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History recorded excavations by Robert Hogg for the Coney Weston Local History Group and Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Revealed remains of the kiln, flint and brick foundations of two buildings and the Wash Pit.

Brick Kiln Covert is not part of the SWT area, and remains a commercial forestry business.


Summary of the owners or managers

  • Started 1830
  • 1840 to 1844....Jeremiah Matthew
  • 1844 to 1868....John Bolingbroke (manager)
  • 1869 to 1892 ...James Bolingbroke
  • 1892 to 1900....Arthur J Bolingbroke

This article was compiled by David Addy based upon material from "The British Brick Society" .

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).
"The Landscape Archaeology of Knettishall Heath " by Tom Williamson et al. For Breaking New Ground Project.
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 28th September, 2023

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