T H E   D E R E L I C T   M I S C E L L A N Y

Ewhurst Brick Works

Clay extraction for brick began at Ewhurst Works in the late 1940s, though most of the buildings on site are later than this, having been erected in the 1960s. Like a lot of other Brickworks, Ewhurst seems to have fallen foul of the 1980s recession in the housing market and closed about 20 years ago.
After 20 years, the site was slowly being reclaimed by nature - bats, foxes, rabbits and wildflowers had colonised the site by the mid 1990s. The works comprised huge sand hoppers, drying sheds, a factory building full of defunct machinery, two iron and brick sheds used as offices, a canteen and washroom, (one of which still had plastic macs hanging from pegs on the wall) and a chimney stack conected to the kilns, which still had a load of bricks inside from the last firing. In 2004, the old factory building was unexpectedly demolished, as were the sand hopper and canteen, thus opening for the first time large areas of the site. By this time, the remaininng walls had become a canvas for extensive murals, graffiti and art. Two years later, the wall of one of the dryers had collapsed, forcing demolition of most of the dryer system and also the washrooms and office were demolished. The greater part of the site was now empty, but the kilns, a small part of the factory and some dryers were left standing. (Some plans involve the retention of the kilns as buildings historical importance, though they are not listed.)
The collapses have not deterred the graffiti artists who come here however, and fresh murals have been painted on the walls of remaining dryers, the site also continues to be a very tranquil place - probably the most peaceful and relaxed abandoned place I have visited. Nature seems to have adapted to the changes already and once again is colonising the bare concrete and brickwork.

PHOTOGRAPHS.


Kilns and chimney from the drive One of the kilns Stoke holes I think The last batch of bricks fired at Ewhurst still inside one of the kilns Inside a kiln One of the larger kilns Looking out from the kiln where I stopped for a snack The end wall of the remaining dryers In one of the dryers Duct Brightly painted murals in another dryer Scrapmetal The factory building The factory building The factory building The factory building A shoe The outside wall Detail More graffiti
Source of historical facts: S.C.C. Assessment downloadable from: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/f8bf722ea9b58b0e80256c67004190b9/44cd71fe89dda13980257037003312e0/$FILE/SAR%202D%20Site%20L5.pdf


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Page updated 5/5/07 Derelict Miscellany - Content © D.A. Gregory, 2005-2008, unless stated as otherwise. 1