Tuesday 1 September 2009

bursledon brickworks

Rob took Tess & Brodie to a family fun day at Bursledon Brickworks which is just a few miles away from Titchfield. This steam driven brickworks was established in 1897 and at its height, produced 20 million bricks a year and provided employment for around 180 local people. The brickworks remained open until 1974, when the decline in the quality of the clay, problems with its extraction, increased labour & running costs and interruption caused by the construction of the M27 meant the works were no longer viable. In 1994, the brickworks were given listed status and sold to Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust and restoration began (and is ongoing).

The brickworks now offers a museum, family fun days and educational activities, as well as being home to the Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Society.

Inside the brickworks museum .....

There were some matchstick models on display; they are hoping to get this oil rig into the Guinness Book of Records .....


Brodie of course enjoyed all the steam engines on display ....



..... and took a ride in this wagon .....


Tess & Brodie enjoying some craft activities on offer at the family day ....

Tess making a brick ......


Carving her name into the brick .......

the finished item (2nd from right, bottom row) .....

2 comments:

  1. I've never heard of this place--looks like a great day out!

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  2. I haven't been myself, but the rest of the family all had a fun day. Looks like they run family/open days fairly regularly, so worth checking out their website. It's near Swanwick Nature Reserve.
    Carole

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