Brickmaking

17+ million bricks, 13 brickyards over 14 years

Typical Brick Usage

  • Bridges: Arch 35,000, Lift 15,000
  • Locks: 178,000 + 425 Cubic feet of stone and 206,000 with a tail bridge
  • Pewsham 3 locks needed 630,000 bricks

    Brickyard

    1796

    1797

    1798

    1799

    1800

    1801

    1802

    1803

    1804

    1805

    1806

    1807

    1808

    1809

    Total

    1.Melksham

    535,000

    179,000

    694,750

    2.Queenfield & 3.Lacock

    523,000

    159,750

    702,000

    4.Pewsham

    836,020

    235,000

    180,250

    1,251,270

    5.Stanley

    656,000

    206,000

    862,000

    6.Cunnegar/ Conigre Farm

    380,000

    384,000

    764,000

    7.Foxham

    111,000

    315,750

    556,000

    682,400

    1,665,150

    8.Dauntsey Park

    167,200

    25,000

    30,000

    222,200

    9.Trow Lane

    731,734

    741,257

    280,000

    1,752,991

    10.Chippenham

    288,050

    288,050

    11.Dunnington

    1,172,750

    405,860

    23,000

    1,601,610

    12.Marston

    809,151

    763,743

    1,572,894

    13.Longcot

    389,077

    927,148

    1,165,004

    2,198,741

    1,309,095

    5,989,065

    Total

    2,550,020

    1,270,750

    1,047,200

    581,000

    1,444,134

    741,257

    1,740,800

    405,860

    832,151

    1,152,820

    927,148

    1,165,004

    2,198,741

    1,309,095

    17,365,980

    Contractor

    1796

    1797

    1798

    1799

    1800

    1801

    1802

    1803

    1804

    1805

    1806

    1807

    1808

    1809

    Total

    Edwards, Burrows and Foster

    1,492,020

    1,492,020

    John Ching and James Heath

    1,058,000

    338,750

    1,396,750

    James Heath

    932,000

    1,047,200

    1,979,200

    Samuel Downs

    581,000

    712,400

    1,293,400

    McIlquham & Brown

    731,734

    741,257

    1,472,991

    Henry Guy

    288,050

    288,050

    James Dobson

    1,452,750

    405,860

    832,151

    1,152,820

    927,148

    1,165,004

    2,198,741

    1,309,095

    9,443,569

    Total

    2,550,020

    1,270,750

    1,047,200

    581,000

    1,444,134

    741,257

    1,740,800

    405,860

    832,151

    1,152,820

    927,148

    1,165,004

    2,198,741

    1,309,095

    17,365,980

    Source: Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre Ledger A 2424/27 & Ledger B 2424/28

    Newspaper Clippings

  • 1795-12-03 Bath Chronicle
    BRICKS WANTED ON THE WILTS AND BERKS CANAL.

    FOUR MILLIONS and upwards between Melksham and Calne. Those who are desirous of contracting for supplying the above, are requested to deliver in their Proposals to the Committee at their next Meeting, on Thursday the 10th day of December next, at the King's-Arms Inn, in Melksham aforesaid. Apply for particulars to Mr. Whitworth the engineer, at the King's-Arms aforesaid. By order of the Committee, Nov. 19, 1795. J. RALPH, Principal Clerk.

    1796-12-15 Bath Chronicle
    WILTS and BERKS CANAL. CANAL CUTTING and MASONRY. TWO MILLIONS of BRICKS WANTED.

    ANY Persons desirous of contracting for the digging, puddling, and completing that part of the line of Canal which lies between Stanley and Foxham Common; a distance of about three miles and six furlongs the branch to Chippenham, about one mile and five furlongs; and that part of the branch, to Calne, as lies between Stanley and Cunnegar-Farm, a length of about one mile and five furlongs; are requested to deliver in their proposals to the Committee of Management, at their next meeting, on Thursday the 29th day of December instant, at the Crown Inn in Swindon, by eleven o'clock in the forenoon. The Committee will also at the same time be ready to receive proposals from any person or persons desirous of contracting for the making of Two Millions of Bricks and also for the building of the several Road and Occupation Bridges and Culverts, on the above respective parts of the line of Canal. For particulars apply to Mr. Whitworth, the engineer at the King's-Arms Inn, in Melksham. By order of the Committee, JOHN RALPH, Principal Clerk. Dec. 8th, 1796

    1797-02-16 Bath Chronicle
    BRICKS WANTED, On the WILTS and BERKS CANAL.

    ONE MILLION at the Brick-yards at Stanley and Pewham-Forest. Any Persons desirous of Contracting for supplying the above, are requested to deliver in their proposals to the Committee at their next Meeting, on Friday the 24th day of February next, at the Angel Inn in Chippenham, by eleven o'clock in the forenoon. For particulars apply to Mr. Whitworth, the Engineer, at the King's-Arms Inn, in Melksham, Wilts. By order of the Committee, Jan. 27, 1797. JOHN RALPH, Principal Clerk.

    1803-12-05 Salisbury and Winchester Journal
    Wills and Berks Canal.

    NOTICE is hereby given, That the Committee of Management will be ready, at their next Meeting, which will be held at the Crown Inn, in Swindon, on the 30th day of December inst. to contract for ONE MILLION OF BRICKS, to be delivered upon the Canal, near South Marston, in the ensuing summer.

    1808-12-31 Bath Chronicle
    CANAL WORK.

    THE COMMITTEE of MANAGEMENT of the WILTS and BERKS CANAL, will be ready at their next Meeting, which will be held at the Barrington Arms in Shrivenham, near Faringdon, Berks, on Friday the 25th of September next, to Contract for the cutting the said Canal from Breachfield, near Wantage, to the river Thames at Abingdon, a distance of about eight miles; for the Building of eleven Locks, and making the several Bridges and Culverts; and also for making two million and five thousand Bricks. Plans specifications of the work may be seen at Mr. Whitworth's. the engineer, at Shrivenham, any day after the 15th of September; of whom all particulars may be known, and any proposals for the work are to be delivered at his house before the 23d of September. The Contractors will be required to perform their work before the 31st December 1808.