Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Found by Geoff Hancock in the Strathaven area. Sanquhar and Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd. Fauldhead Colliery Brickworks, Kirkconnel. . . .

Found in the Sanquhar area. Buccleuch Terra Cotta Works, Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire. Note the ‘G’ is a different size and style from the other letters. Note the 2nd ‘R’ in ‘Terra’ is a different shape from the first ‘R’. Note the ‘CO’ has a raised ‘O’. This brick appears to be a reshaped standard brick as…

Found by Ian Suddaby at Gateside Colliery near Sanquhar. Ian states – In my experience cable covers are always standalone items but this one is clearly a modified brick. It’s 8½” long, 4¼” wide and 2½” thick. The top shows that the word ELECTRICITY was clearly added later as it has dragged through the edge of the…

Found by Simon Scott in the Kilmarnock area. This is a byre or stable paver. J & M Craig, Perceton Fireclay Works, Dreghorn, Ayrshire. . . . .  

Found by Mike Chapman in Woodborough, Nottinghamshire. The brick was found in a pile of hardcore and rubble used to fill holes in a golf course road so its provenance is unknown. This example is not in my possession. Appin Brickworks, Townhill, Dunfermline. . . . .  

(Note – SBH – There is some confusion regarding bricks stamped AFTON with regards their exact origins. There was the Afton Brick and Tile Works at New Cumnock, the owners of which opened a brickworks at Sanquhar in 1852 and then much later there was the Afton Brick Company Limited which operated the brickworks at…

This stamp is on a salt-glazed saddle back wall cope. It was photographed in the Kilmarnock area by Martin Sneddon. Buccleuch Terra Cotta Works, Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire. (N.B – stands for North Britain – postal abbreviation of the day). . .

Found on the old site previously occupied by Giscol when they took over the Etna Brickworks, Bathville, West Lothian. The bricks are cored and are stamped on a stretcher. They are dated 29/03/91 and 07/11/91. It looks like they were used to build some sort of office block on the site. Now demolished and mostly…

(Note – SBH – This page should be read in conjunction with the pages dedicated to the Sanquhar Brick and Tile Works and the Fauldhead Collieries Brick Works) 1962 – The Upper Nithsdale Coalworks from Pictish Times to 1925. Compiled by J C L McConnel – Brickmaking. This industry formed, in later times, a part…

Found at an unknown location in Scotland and kindly donated by Nick Basden. Sanquhar Brick and Tile Works, Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire. This is a minature baby brick. It is also a ‘stop end’ brick. . . . . Below – A similar sized brick without the ‘stop end’. This was found by Joan Faithfull.