Somerset Brick and Tile Museum facts for kids
The Somerset Brick and Tile Museum is located in Bridgwater, Somerset, England. It is managed by The South West Heritage Trust.
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| Established | 1990s |
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| Location | Bridgwater, Somerset |
The museum teaches visitors all about the history of making bricks and tiles in Somerset. Bridgwater was an important center for trade and industry for a long time.
It was a great spot for making bricks because of the special clay found near the River Parrett. This clay was perfect for creating strong bricks and tiles. By the 1840s, about 1,300 people in Bridgwater worked in this industry.
History of Brick Making
Making bricks and tiles was a very important job in Bridgwater. The area had lots of good clay, which is a key ingredient for these building materials. This made Bridgwater a busy place for factories and workshops.
The Chandos Glass Cone
The Chandos Glass Cone was a tall, cone-shaped building constructed in 1725. It was first built to be a kiln for making glass. A kiln is a special oven used to heat materials to very high temperatures.
After a short time, it was changed to make pottery, bricks, and tiles instead of glass. This continued until 1939. Most of the cone was taken down in 1943, but the bottom 2.4 meters (about 8 feet) of it were saved. It is now a protected ancient monument.
The Pinnacle Kiln
The museum also has the last remaining 'pinnacle kiln' in Bridgwater. This kiln was built in the 1800s and is a very important historical building. It is protected as an ancient monument and a Grade II* listed building.
This kiln was once one of six similar kilns at the Barham Brothers' Yard. Kilns are like giant ovens used to bake bricks and tiles until they are hard and strong.
Over time, the brick-making industry in Bridgwater became less busy. Other companies started making more uniform bricks. Also, after World War II, people began using more concrete for building.
The last time this kiln was used was in 1965, which was the same year the factory closed down. Another kiln, built in 1858, was changed to be more energy-efficient.
The Museum Today
The old brick-making factory was turned into the Somerset Brick and Tile Museum in the 1990s. It's a great place to learn how bricks and tiles were made long ago.
Inside the museum, you can see the different tools people used. You can also learn about the steps and methods involved in making all sorts of bricks, tiles, and decorative terracotta pieces. It shows how important this industry was to the area.
