Hunwick Digital Village

The brickworks once had a mine on them which ceased production in 1936. The original mine was opened in the 1890's soley to produce high quallity coal. This worked well for a while until a good fireclay was discovered so the company moved to the production of fire bricks around the early 1920's.
The fireclay had an alumina content of 28% and the bricks were produced in Beehive kilns. then the demand came from the steel industry to produce brick that would stand up to greater temperatures. This need was fullfilled when ganister containing 90% silica was found on Knitsley Fell some 5 miles away. The factory continued to produce good quallity silica brick right through the war years and beyond.

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