Have Clay, Make Bricks

Architecture students had a virtual visit from Brickfield recently to share their insights on making bricks in Cornwall’s china clay country, and explain their current activities with local communities to make the most of the Cornish clay pits.

Brickfield is an experimental, temporary community brickworks in Blackpool Pit, Trewoon, St Austell. They organise walking trips that set out from the Brickfield site, as well as brickmaking workshops to make the bricks that will help build a local community building.

BA Architecture Senior Lecturer, Toby Carr said, “Although they are unable to do face to face workshops or field trips at the moment, we are delighted Rosanna Martin and Dr Katie Bunnell from Brickfield were able to record their session, so students did not miss out.

“They shared a fascinating historic insight into brickmaking in Cornwall, taking us right up to the present where they have been making bricks in the china clay pits around St Austell with local groups.

“We will continue to collaborate with Brickfield to set up a series of workshops and design exercises for students in the future.”

Brickfield is part of Whitegold, where artists are working with people to look again at the “Cornish Alps”, the china clay tips and pits and inviting them to revive the centuries old Cornish art of brickmaking, with an eye on building a creative and sustainable future.  

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