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GREAT HARWOODCliffe Brick WorksFrom "A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Great Harwood". From an Alsprings Estate Farm Rent Ledger It seems the works was something of a landmark in its time: The unearthing of the above brick by Michael Eddleston produced a goodly amount of comment in The Great Harwood Appreciation Society regarding the place of its manufacture and on Sunday, 30th Jan, 2005 we went to have a look at what we were told was the kiln of Cliffe Brick Works.
The operation seems to have involved workings on both sides of Dean Lane at its junction with Blackburn Old Road and Cliffe Lane. Shale, which was crushed for brick making, was taken from the west side of the lane and is also where the "works" were. Clay for the terra cotta, it seems, was dug from pits in an old sandstone quarry to the east. The 1932 OS map shows three "lodges" , flooded pits, to the east ( clay pits? ) and another to the north of the shale quarry west of Dean Lane. The map also shows several buildings still on the site, "ours" is in area 163. ![]()
On the left is a photo of one of the lodges in the field east of Dean Lane and below is the field as it was in 2005 with the lodges filled in. ![]()
Blackburn Old Road from the end of Dean Lane. This bank is the edge of the shale quarry. Above, from the north and overgrown, is a dark wall. Below, catching a bit more light, is another wall from the south. from above The "kiln" entrance, ![]() and inside.
This is outside our area of expertise but the walls seem to be of concrete where maybe some kind of fire brick would be expected but their thickness does suggest a need for insulation.
But is it a kiln?
Remains of some less substantial walls on the south side of the 'kiln'. In the foreground is the camera shy John Simpson who showed us around. Below is a photo taken November 2006 after some clearing of vegetation. Further enquiries lead us to believe this wasn't a kiln ( we always thought it was a bit narrow but for what machine?
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Sources 1 A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Great Harwood, Michael Rothwell, Hyndburn Local History Society, 1980. Page 17 Last updated 17th April 2020 by ifinwig
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