Description and History of Site:-
When operational the fireclay works had a large square main production building that had had an extension on the eastern half of its northern end, with two round downdraught kilns to the west. There was a storage building to the south-east and the main chimney on the hillside to the east. Above the site, on the hilltop, was the large castellated mansion house that belonged to the owners of the complex - the Whitehead family. This still stands and is occupied. Also standing is the grade II-listed chimney erected in 1894 which bears examples of the full range of products made here - sanitary ware, chimney pots, glazed brick- and following closure the site was abandoned and the buildings allowed to fall down, so remains of buildings can to be found in the undergrowth,along with many examples of the product range. Fireclay was obtained form within the Coal Measures close by. Around 1887 Julius Whitehead opened a new fireclay works making sanitary and drain pipes, firebricks and chimney pots, to replace the earlier brickyard lower down the hill which he had acquired. In 1907 a new fireclay works was started on Cockin Lane which was in production in 1908, with the earlier works closing down and being abandoned in 1910. Also known as Hole Bottom Brickworks, and Clayton Fireclay Works.

Further Reading and References:-
Johnson, D. I., Quarrying in the Yorkshire Pennines: An Illistrated History, Amberley, Stroud, 2016, p. 64.
Ledgard S., Forgotten Villages, Raggalds, Mountain and West Scholes, Bobtail Press, Haworth, 2009.
Smith W.H. and Pike W.T., West Riding of Yorkshire at the Opening of the Twentieth Century: Contemporary Biographies - Commercial, W. T. Pike & Co., Brighton, 1902.
Wilkinson G., Histories of Local Potteries, Bradford Art Gallery and Museums, Bradford, 1981.

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Key Words :- brickworks coal measures fireclay works kiln refractories firebrick brickyard

Viewing the Site :- Visible from two public footpaths and Brow Lane

Address :- Brow Lane, Clayton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD14 6PT
Grid Ref :- SE 1073 3123
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.777295 , Long -1.838660
Local Authority :- City of Bradford
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1133258,
Site Condition :- Site derelict - some buildings remaining
Site Dates :- c1887 - 1910
Record Date :- 14 February 2017

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © David Johnson