Dear Harald,
This location is primarily coincidence. Ganister for the making of
firebricks was available on the moorland nearby and carried on a narrow
gauge railway then down an incline to reach the brickworks. The site for the
kilns etc. was chosen within the huge quarry because of its location
adjoining the railway and because it largely hid the works in an area of
outstanding scenery.
The alum industry in this part of Yorkshire existed between about 1650 and
1870 so was all finished before the brickworks was built in the early
twentieth century.
The National Trust now own the alum quarries and also the alum house site
where the processing occurred. This latter was excavated in recent years and
provided useful information which was published and is probably now
available from the Trust's information centre at Ravenscar.
Grid reference is NZ 968016 so well done! I am frequently frustrated by the
mention of fascinating places on this chatshow but don't know where they
are. Including a grid. ref. is brilliant!
Regards, Simon.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harald Finster" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 1:00 PM
Subject: alum quarry and brickworks
> Hello,
>
> in the course of my recent visit to Yorkshire
> someone pointed me onto an abandoned brickworks-site
> situated close to the dismantled Whitby - Scarborough railway
> line near Ravenscar. (NGR 968 016 - hopefully correct)
>
> The remains of what must have been a Hoffmann brick furnace
> are still there.
> A signpost reads "National Trust Alum Quarry".
> There are a few more abandoned alum quarries in this area.
>
> My question: can somebody please explain, why
> brickworks are located in direct vicinity of an alum quarry?
> Is clay needed for brickmaking a by-product of alum quarrying
> or is it just a random coincidence, that both materials
> have been quarried at the same location?
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Harald
>
>
>
> --
> Dr.-Ing. Harald Finster / Aachen Germany
> http://www.finster-stahlart.de industrial history and architecture
> http://www.astrid-aix.de gallery: watercolours and oil paintings
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