The Cranham Brickfields Nature Reserve.
This nature reserve was once the site of an old brickworks called the Cranham Brick and Tile Company. They established clay digging and brick kilns used for ‘firing’ in 1900, near to Frank's wood and north of the railway. Men from the local area were employed, possibly as many as seventy workers. Prior to the manufacturing process, many men in the area were agricultural workers. A railway spur was built by LTS&R about 1900, from the eastern edge of Frank's Wood to a siding in the brick works for transportation of materials and of manufactured bricks. The brick-earth began to run out in 1915, and the site was closed in 1920 but the buildings were not demolished until 1929. Part of Brickfields was also claimed during the 1940’s to grow vegetables and fruit as part of the wartime governments ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign and then handed back to the local authorities after the war. In the early 1950’s much of Cranham housing stock was built and it became more urbanised. It’s hard to believe that this peaceful oasis of meadows and scrubland was at one time used for excavating clay to make bricks. These days, Cranham Brickworks site is recognised as a Grade 1 listed place of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. It is now listed as a Local Nature Reserve and open to all. The public right of way runs right through the reserve for visitors and local residents to enjoy, free of charge.
Ron Colson.
Cranham Brickfields Local Nature Reserve - A Brief History ;
The nature reserve was once the site of an old brickworks called the Cranham Brick and Tile Company. They established clay digging and brick kilns used for ‘firing’ in 1900, near to Frank's wood and north of the railway line. In 1908, it became the Shenfield and Cranham Brick and Tile Co. Ltd, men from the local area were employed, possibly as many as seventy workers. Prior to the manufacturing process, many men in the area were agricultural workers. A railway spur was built by LTS&R about 1900, from the eastern edge of Frank's Wood to a siding to the brick works for transportation of manufactured bricks. The brick-earth began to run out in 1915, and the site was closed in 1920 but the buildings were not demolished until 1929. Some bricks that were made there can still be found locally in Upminster, where they were used to build small garden walls to the front gardens. In the early fifties much of today’s housing stock were built and Cranham became more urbanised. It’s hard to believe that this peaceful oasis of meadows and scrubland was at one time used for excavating clay to make bricks. The land was also claimed during W.W.2 to grow vegetables and fruit as part of the wartime governments ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign. These days, as well as its Local Nature Reserve status, Cranham Brickworks site is recognised as a Grade I Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. A public right of way runs right through the reserve for visitors and local residents to enjoy....... free of charge !
The Reserve habitat - Areas of unmanaged grassland, scrub and small horse fields enclosed by blackthorn hedges.Some of the grassland areas are wet and include several commoner rush and sedge species with associated grassland, invertebrates are likely to be diverse. There is a recently restored and richly planted pond. This is of value to amphibians, dragonflies and water insects.
There is also a wooded area known as Franks Wood, it is a substantial area of ancient hornbeam coppice with a typically limited shrub and field layer of bluebell, bramble, creeping soft-grass and honeysuckle. This wood is attached to The Brickfield reserve with easy access.
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The nature reserve was once the site of an old brickworks called the Cranham Brick and Tile Company. They established clay digging and brick kilns used for ‘firing’ in 1900, near to Frank's wood and north of the railway line. In 1908, it became the Shenfield and Cranham Brick and Tile Co. Ltd, men from the local area were employed, possibly as many as seventy workers. Prior to the manufacturing process, many men in the area were agricultural workers. A railway spur was built by LTS&R about 1900, from the eastern edge of Frank's Wood to a siding to the brick works for transportation of manufactured bricks. The brick-earth began to run out in 1915, and the site was closed in 1920 but the buildings were not demolished until 1929. Some bricks that were made there can still be found locally in Upminster, where they were used to build small garden walls to the front gardens. In the early fifties much of today’s housing stock were built and Cranham became more urbanised. It’s hard to believe that this peaceful oasis of meadows and scrubland was at one time used for excavating clay to make bricks. The land was also claimed during W.W.2 to grow vegetables and fruit as part of the wartime governments ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign. These days, as well as its Local Nature Reserve status, Cranham Brickworks site is recognised as a Grade I Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. A public right of way runs right through the reserve for visitors and local residents to enjoy....... free of charge !
The Reserve habitat - Areas of unmanaged grassland, scrub and small horse fields enclosed by blackthorn hedges.Some of the grassland areas are wet and include several commoner rush and sedge species with associated grassland, invertebrates are likely to be diverse. There is a recently restored and richly planted pond. This is of value to amphibians, dragonflies and water insects.
There is also a wooded area known as Franks Wood, it is a substantial area of ancient hornbeam coppice with a typically limited shrub and field layer of bluebell, bramble, creeping soft-grass and honeysuckle. This wood is attached to The Brickfield reserve with easy access.
The nature reserve was once the site of an old brickworks called the Cranham Brick and Tile Company. They established clay digging and brick kilns used for ‘firing’ in 1900, near to Frank's wood and north of the railway line. In 1908, it became the Shenfield and Cranham Brick and Tile Co. Ltd, men from the local area were employed, possibly as many as seventy workers. Prior to the manufacturing process, many men in the area were agricultural workers. A railway spur was built by LTS&R about 1900, from the eastern edge of Frank's Wood to a siding to the brick works for transportation of manufactured bricks. The brick-earth began to run out in 1915, and the site was closed in 1920 but the buildings were not demolished until 1929. Some bricks that were made there can still be found locally in Upminster, where they were used to build small garden walls to the front gardens. In the early fifties much of today’s housing stock were built and Cranham became more urbanised. It’s hard to believe that this peaceful oasis of meadows and scrubland was at one time used for excavating clay to make bricks. The land was also claimed during W.W.2 to grow vegetables and fruit as part of the wartime governments ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign. These days, as well as its Local Nature Reserve status, Cranham Brickworks site is recognised as a Grade I Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. A public right of way runs right through the reserve for visitors and local residents to enjoy....... free of charge !
The Reserve habitat - Areas of unmanaged grassland, scrub and small horse fields enclosed by blackthorn hedges.Some of the grassland areas are wet and include several commoner rush and sedge species with associated grassland, invertebrates are likely to be diverse. There is a recently restored and richly planted pond. This is of value to amphibians, dragonflies and water insects.
There is also a wooded area known as Franks Wood, it is a substantial area of ancient hornbeam coppice with a typically limited shrub and field layer of bluebell, bramble, creeping soft-grass and honeysuckle. This wood is attached to The Brickfield reserve with easy access.
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The nature reserve was once the site of an old brickworks called the Cranham Brick and Tile Company. They established clay digging and brick kilns used for ‘firing’ in 1900, near to Frank's wood and north of the railway line. In 1908, it became the Shenfield and Cranham Brick and Tile Co. Ltd, men from the local area were employed, possibly as many as seventy workers. Prior to the manufacturing process, many men in the area were agricultural workers. A railway spur was built by LTS&R about 1900, from the eastern edge of Frank's Wood to a siding to the brick works for transportation of manufactured bricks. The brick-earth began to run out in 1915, and the site was closed in 1920 but the buildings were not demolished until 1929. Some bricks that were made there can still be found locally in Upminster, where they were used to build small garden walls to the front gardens. In the early fifties much of today’s housing stock were built and Cranham became more urbanised. It’s hard to believe that this peaceful oasis of meadows and scrubland was at one time used for excavating clay to make bricks. The land was also claimed during W.W.2 to grow vegetables and fruit as part of the wartime governments ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign. These days, as well as its Local Nature Reserve status, Cranham Brickworks site is recognised as a Grade I Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation. A public right of way runs right through the reserve for visitors and local residents to enjoy....... free of charge !
The Reserve habitat - Areas of unmanaged grassland, scrub and small horse fields enclosed by blackthorn hedges.Some of the grassland areas are wet and include several commoner rush and sedge species with associated grassland, invertebrates are likely to be diverse. There is a recently restored and richly planted pond. This is of value to amphibians, dragonflies and water insects.
There is also a wooded area known as Franks Wood, it is a substantial area of ancient hornbeam coppice with a typically limited shrub and field layer of bluebell, bramble, creeping soft-grass and honeysuckle. This wood is attached to The Brickfield reserve with easy access.