Borders brick and tile works are few and far between. The Borders didn’t have a coal industry, therefore, it didn’t have the waste product from the mines and thus no brickworks sprung up utilising this mainly Central belt, asset. There was the occasional clay seam or deposit but these were very localised and sporadic. I will also define the Borders area as the land sandwiched East and West between Langholm and the North Sea and North and South, the land sandwiched between Northumbria, England and the Lothians.
The following are references to Border brick and tile works as gleaned from various industrial directories. (In no particular order – yet!)
1. TARRASFOOT TILE WORKS – Langholm.
2. JAMES WHITSON & Co – Brick and Tile Makers, Dunse ( Duns) Berwickshire.
3. JOHN & WILLIAM TULLY – Brick & Tile Makers, Fallsidehill, Hume, Kelso.
4. WHITRIG BOG – Brickworks, Whitrig Bog, Kelso – page 45.
5. ROBERT WOOD – Sinclairs Hill, Duns, Berwickshire.
6. THOMAS THOMSON – Brick and Tile Maker, Paxton, Berwickshire.
7. WILLIAM LINN – Brick and Tile Maker, Paxton, Berwickshire.
8. CHARLES CUTHBERTSON – Brickmaker, Paxton Brick Shades, Berwickshire .page 297 – 1837
9. TURRET REFRACTORIES LTD – Kelso.
10. LAMANCHA BRICK & TILE WORKS – Grange Cottage, Lamancha, Peebleshire.
11. LINTHILL BRICK AND TILE WORKS – Linthill, Berwickshire.
12. EDRINGTON CASTLE BRICK AND TILE WORKS – Edrington Castle, River Whiteadder, Berwickshire ( I believe this was just over the English Border – 50 meters).
13. FRANCIS FOSTER – Brickmaker, Cacklaw, Berwickshire ( Berwick?) – page 297. – 1837.
14. GEORGE REDPATH – Brickmaker, Tweedmouth Moor, Berwickshire. (Berwick?) – Page 297. – 1837.
15. SPYLAW TILE WORKS, Kelso.
16. HOSELAW MAINS TILE WORKS, Kelso.
17. RYHMERS GLEN, MELROSE – Tile kiln near Darnick.
18. THE HAINING SELKIRK – Brick and Tile Works.
19. STIRCHES, HAWICK – Scott Chisholme – Brick and Tile Works
20.WHITEFIELD, LINTON – Tile Works
21. LAMBERTON COLLIERY, Mordington, Berwickshire. The colliery is advertised for sale and states there is a great opportunity to erect a brick and tileworks. Unknown if one was ever built.
6, 7 and 8 all refer to the same Brick and Tile Works at Paxton.
11 and 12 above – 1867 Survey … These masses of sand and gravel appear to a large extent to have resulted from the washing away of the boulder-clay. We might expect therefore that in some parts of the district, the finer argillaceous portions of the boulder-clay ought to occur, filling up hollows of the older deposits, and forming fields of brick-clay. There are almost no brickworks, however, in this part of the country, nor do the streams lay open sections of these finer clays. The only exposures which have occurred in the progress of the Geological Survey are those in the brick and tile works at Linthill on the banks of the Ale Water, and on either side of the Whiteadder at Edrington Castle. At the latter locality, a fine reddish clay with a few striated stones scattered through it is worked. No organic remains were observed in it.
13 and 14 above although under a Berwickshire listing could actually be English as the listing refers to Berwick and neighbourhoods (some are Scottish and some English)
15/09/1871 – The Berwickshire Advertiser – From the returns published of the manufacturies in Scotland subject to the Factory Acts we extract the following statistics relating to Berwickshire – there are 6 brick and tile works.
I will add more as I find further references.
Canmore (Note – SBH – I am unable to pinpoint it on the OS Maps – I will try again!) Below – 1856 – Canmore suggests Kittleyknowe Tileworks were at the location of the red cross. 11/05/1881 – Greenock Advertiser – Bankruptcy – John Finnie Allan, farmer, Cardrona Mains and Kittleyknowe, Peebleshire. (Were the tileworks…
Canmore Below – 1856 – Castleton Tileworks, Newcastleton.
Canmore Below – 1856 – Old Brick Kilns, Nether Falla, Eddleston. Near Scarcerig.
Lamberton Colliery Brickworks, Mordington, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders. Below – 12/06/1846 – The going colliery at Lamberton for let … There is an extensive field of common clay of the best quality, on the surface and fire clay in the pit, which has been found equal to the finest ‘Stourbridge’ thereby affording every opportunity for carrying…
Found by Geoff Parkhouse at Rutherford near Kelso, former County of Roxburghshire. This brick is unmarked. The manufacturer is unknown. The find location would suggest Scottish origins but … No doubt there will have been a brick and tile works in the area during the 18th century but I just do not know where exactly….
04/10/1850 – Kelso Chronicle – Building clubs … it is proposed to build the cottages of brick which can now be obtained from the brickworks on the Cavers Estate and will also for a short time, be obtained nearer home from the works on the Estate of Stirches …
Canmore Below – 07/05/1847 – The erection of Larriston Tileworks. Below – 1858 – Larriston Tileworks, Larriston. (The works are not named on the 1896 map).
Cowdenknows Tileworks, Earlston aka Crossrigs – formerly in the County of Berwickshire. Canmore 10/01/1845 – Kelso Chronicle – Contractors wanted for making about 114 roods of a new road to the brick and tile work at Cowdenknows. Specifications will be seen in the hands of Mr White, Cowdenknows or with Mr Mitchell, surveyor, Melrose. 03/07/1846…
Oxnam Tileworks, Jedburgh, Scottish Borders aka Cringleburn Tileworks. Many thanks to Chris J Veitch, Jedburgh for his assistance in ascertaining the location of this tilework. 1841 – Census – Cringleburn Tileworks, now Oxnam Sawmill. David (25)and Margaret Sives (30). David – drain tile manufacturer. 1841 – Census – Huntill Cottages, Jedburgh. William (20) and Isabella…
Kames Tileworks, Leitholm, Scottish Borders aka Graden Hill Brick and Tile Works. 27/06/1845 – Kelso Chronicle – Marriages – At Gavinton, Berwickshire on 16th inst by the Rev Dr Brown, Free church, Mr Thomas Fisher, Kames Tileworks to Miss Mary Anne Spence eldest daughter of Mr John Spence, Gavinton. 23/11/1849 – Kelso Chronicle – Kames…
