The River Parrett is possibly one of the ugliest rivers in the world. Its waters are full of suspended particles of fine alluvial clay, giving them a permanent brown colouration. The riverbanks too are deep in banks of brown clay. It is all very unpicturesque. Yet this dirty river was the main source of prosperity for Bridgwater for around 200 years, for good quality clay is an essential ingredient of bricks and roofing tiles.
During the 18th and 19th Centuries, as Britain became more prosperous and more densely populated, so the demand for housing grew. The industrial towns of the north needed cheap homes quickly, and the rich southerners wanted smart dwellings without the expense of hiring a stone mason. Bridgwater answered both needs. Clay from the local area was transformed into everything from plain bricks to ornamental roofing tiles. The town became a major port. Tons of coal came in each day from South Wales to fire the kilns, and finished product left by ship and river barge to be delivered around the country.
Sadly this prosperity did not last. The arrival of the railways killed Bridgwater's status as a port. And the rise of concrete and cement as building materials, combined with a local reluctance to embrace mechanisation, put an end to the brick and tile industry. A small museum now occupies the only remaining brickworks in the area.
The Brick and Tile Museum was once part of the Barnham Brothers Brickworks. All that remains now is one long room lined with displays, plus a single kiln which you can look around. Local people sometimes give demonstrations of brick making. As museums go it is pretty small. You can look round the lot in 20 minutes. But if it wasn't for places like this, traditions like Bridgwater's brick making would be irrevocably lost.
Entrance to the museum is free.