Somerset Brick and Tile Museum

Kiln interior

Kiln firing floor

Tile after firing, placed back in its mould, showing shrinkage

Mould dismantled. With the mould assembled, the clay would be pressed into the base. Surprisingly, the top of the tile is shaped by cutting with a wire tensioned in a frame, following the metal guides at the ends of the mould. Immediately after shaping, the tile is lifted out on the detachable part of the mould, and set aside for initial drying, followed by firing

Mould for Double Roman roof tile - John Browne and Co

Pressed tile

Salesman's miniature samples

Mould for wire-cut finial

East Quay, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4DB

The Somerset Brick and Tile Museum is a small museum in Bridgwater, dedicated to the local industry of brick and clay tile making – one of the many labour-intensive coal-based industries that used to be found in Somerset

The core of the Museum is the only remaining tile kiln in Bridgwater and used to be one of six at the former Barham Brothers' Yard at East Quay.

See Museum website for opening times.

See Also

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