Building record TQ 96 SE 219 - Cremer-Whiting Brickworks, Ospringe, Faversham

A Desk Based Assessment and a Heritage statement in 2014 noted the historical importance of the modern brickworks at Ospringe. The present brickworks is thought to have been established in the 1920s, probably near or on the site of a previous brickworking operation of the mid-19th century. A chimney, pug mill and kiln building survive from the mid-20th century. (3-4)

Other surveys have been conducted at the site in the past. E.g. (2) (3)

Little research has been done as of yet into the nature of work during the twentieth century at the site.
(1) (2)

Historic building recording was carried out in May 2017, in advance of proposed residential development at the site. This recorded the northern half of the site as open scrub land and stated that all factories in this area of the site had been dismantled. The majority of the original features in the southern half of the site had also been demolished, apart from a chimney which served the (now demolished) kiln buildings, and a clay wash mill which was constructed during the 1920s. Other structures which survived at this time included a 1950s main building "used for brick moulding and artificial drying prior to firing; a clay wash mill constructed during the third quarter of the 20th century, to prepare the raw clay ready for the moulding process; a making shed which was raised between the 1970s and 1980s, and in 2004, a kiln shed replaced two kiln buildings. Other structures dating to the brickworks’ later history include a storage shed, office, electrical sub-station and a bungalow, all of which originate from the end of the 20th century onwards" (from the report, (9).
The northern section of the site originally produced yellow London stock bricks, whilst the southern section produced red bricks and shaped facing bricks known as 'specials'. (9)

In September 2017 a watching brief conducted during demolition and clearance of a former brickworks building demonstrated that the development area has been subject to modern
and post medieval truncation, with no features or deposits of archaeological significance
surviving. (5)

Geo-environmental site investigation identified in-situ Pleistocene deposits, intact ploughsoils in the south-western corner of the site, and a sequence of head gravels and brickearths. (6)

In June 2017, the north eastern section of the site, currently open scrub, was subject to an archaeological evaluation. No archaeological features were found - the area was found to be heavily truncated. (8)

<1> Sevenoaks Environmental Consultancy, 2014, Heritage Statement on the buildings at Cremer Whiting Brickworks, Ospringe, ME13 7NU (Unpublished document). SKE30896.

<2> Gould and Company, 2014, Condition Survey Report on Cremer Whiting Brickworks, Sumpter Lane, Lower Road, Ospringe, Faversham, ME13 7NT (Unpublished document). SKE30895.

<3> Sevenoaks Environmental Consultancy, 2014, Preliminary Factual Geotechnical Site Investigation at Faversham Brickworks, Faversham, Kent ME13 7NU (Unpublished document). SKE30940.

<4> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2014, Appendix 1: Figures and Plates: Faversham Brickworks, Ospringe, Kent: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE51762.

<5> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2017, Cremer & Whiting Brickworks, Ospringe, Faversham: Negative watching brief summary report (Unpublished document). SKE51765.

<6> Sevenoaks Environmental Consultancy, 2014, Archaeological Desk Based Assessment and Watching Brief on Geo-Environmental Site Investigation at Faversham Brickworks, Ospringe (Unpublished document). SKE30894.

<7> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2014, Cremer & Whiting Brickworks, Ospringe, Kent: Heritage statement on the industrial buildings (Unpublished document). SKE51770.

<8> Archaeology South-East, 2017, Archaeological Evaluation Report: Ospringe Brickworks, Sumpter Way, Faversham (Unpublished document). SKE51771.

<9> Archaeology South-East, 2017, Cremer & Whiting Brickworks, Sumpter Way, Ospringe (Nr. Faversham), Kent, (Unpublished document). SKE58255.