Visited with SpaceInvader,Urbanginger,Obscurity and Fortknox0
No dramas just a relaxed wander about
Hammill Brick Ltd operated from a site at Hammill, near Eastry, for over 80 years until the downturn in the building industry forced their eventual closure in 2008. The brickworks was built mainly on the site of the old Woodnesborough Colliery, and utilised some of the buildings there, although there have been newer structures added to the site over the years. Currently standing almost derelict and seeking a buyer, some areas of the site look as if they were abandoned almost yesterday!
The largest brickworks in Dover district was undoubtedly at Hammill 1.7km north west of Eastry. Hammill brickworks is sited on the former Woodnesborough Colliery site. Works at the site started in 1910 but the colliery operation never progressed beyond the sinking of two test shafts and the construction of surface buildings including an engine house, workshops and a chimney. In 1923, after the First World War, the mine was sold to Pearson & Dorman Long, owners of Betteshanger Colliery. In due course the site was sold on to the Hammill Brick Co. who built a brickworks on the site using some of the old colliery buildings and working clay extracted from a nearby clay seam within the Thanet Beds geology The brickworks opened in June 1927 and continued in operation until 2006. When the brickworks opened a two foot gauge line was built parallel to the standard gauge line and ran between the brickworks and a clay pit c. 500m to the north-east of the brickworks (another clay pit is indicated c. 800m to the north-west). Despite attempts to keep the site working the brickworks finally shut in 2008.
Was a rather nice day out!
A lovely site, and lovely pics. Sounds as though the brick buildings may have a future now.
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