Scotland's Brick and Tile Manufacturing Industry

Whitrig Bog  AKA  Whitrighill Brick and Tile Works, Near Mertoun, St. Boswells former County of Berwickshire.

*********************************

Whitrig Bog -Mr W. Whitehouse. Mr R. Rae, Whitrighill J W Ross, manager of Tileworks. An extensive tract of land originally overflown with water but having been drained by means of a Tunnel driven through a hill it has become good pasture land. It is the property of Lord Polwarth.  Source

*********************************

Below – 16/08/1850 – Whitrig Bog drain tile prices plus shell marle.

Below – 05/10/1855 – Kelso Chronicle – Desirable Farm In Berwickshire – To be let with entry at Whitsunday 1856 and separation of the year’s crops from the ground. Whitrighill in the parish of Mertoun and presently occupied by Mrs Dunlop containing 193 acres or thereby, exclusive of a small part of the Bog Park which the proprietor proposes to reserve. The land is of superior quality and capable of yielding all kinds of crops. The dung and straw are to be left in steel barrow. Particulars will be communicated and offers received by Messrs Curle and Erskine Melrose till 3rd December next. The farm will be shown by Robert Whitson at Whitrig Bog Tileworks, Melrose. 02/11/1855.

1856 – 1858 – ScotlandsPlaces – Whitrigbog Tileworks. These works consist of a machine for making tiles, worked by water, with wooden sheds for drying, and a kiln for burning, and are situated on a low portion of land known as Whitrig Bog.  A considerable portion of the land, near these works, was formerly a marsh, to which the name of Whitrig Bog applied, but it is now drained and the greater part of it in good pasture. There is a small peat moss from which the workmen employed about the place dig peats. A few feet below the surface, clay is procured for making the tiles, and below this, a bed of marl is found. The water used for working the machine is carried away by means of a trench, in some places sixty-four feet below the surface of the ground, with air-shafts, sunk at different places.

Below – 1858 – Whitrighill or Whitrig Bog Brick and Tile Works, Scottish Borders.

Below – 1858 – Whitrighill or Whitrig Bog Brick and Tile Works, Scottish Borders.

13/07/1865 – Southern Reporter – An accident occurred at Whitrig Bog Works the other day buy which a labourer named Thomson got his hand caught by machinery and nipped off at the wrist while engaged at the mill for making tiles. The patient was speedily attended by Mr Purves, Dryburgh Mains and Drs Brown and Smith of Melrose. From the extent of his injury amputation was deemed necessary and the operation was performed by Dr Smith. Thomson has since been progressing favourably.

23/02/1872 – Berwick Journal – Birth – At Whitrig Bog on 13 inst, the wife of Mr George Hogarth, Tile Worker, of a daughter.

30/08/1883 – Southern Reporter – Deaths. At Whitrig Bog Tile Works on 24th inst, Margaret Linn, wife of William Sherlaw aged 75 years.

Below – 1897 – Whitrighill or Whitrig Bog Brick and Tile Works, Scottish Borders.

1906 – Whitrighill or Whitrig Bog Brick and Tile Works, Scottish Borders – marked as disused.

********************************

During a visit to the kiln in September 2016, the following brickmarks were noted. The kiln itself appears to have been built with Smeaton and Hood bricks along with unmarked fire bricks. There may, of course, be many others in there. Also lying around are Whitehill, Edmonstone Patent and Loch-head Patent bricks.

The kiln was still standing but it is falling away at either end and at several places along the sides. Cattle have use of the kiln for shelter which is increasing the rate of deterioration as they move in an out.

The existing structure measures approx 12m long x 8m wide. It is stone-built with buttress wing supports. Fire bricks line the kiln in a single arch. I believe the floor is just normal brick but it was hard to see because of the cow muck. The kiln consists of 2 chambers situated back to back.

The vegetation was high at the time of the visit and I will need to return during winter but you still could make out the foundations of several stone buildings next to the kiln and possible engine mounts. The clay pit to the west and south can still be easily identified.

Below – 2016 Photos taken during a site visit.

Below – Four photos from the public road  showing

1. The depression in the field to west and south of the kiln – the clay pit
2. The kiln in the distance
3. What appears to be the original track connecting the kiln to the road.
4. The claypit to the East.

.

.

.

Below – Two photos from the kiln showing the depression in the field to west and south of the kiln – the clay pit.

.

Below – Photo from the front of the kiln to the Whitrighill Farm to the South.

Below – Photos showing the East facing kiln front.

.

Below – Photos showing the West facing kiln front.

.

Below  –

1. The Northside of the kiln has what appears to have been some sort of access point to the internal firebricks? The top has fallen away but the sides are still straight-faced and square indicating this was a design feature. Two arched metal bars are still in situ.

2. The opposite side shows a similar design feature that has been walled up.

.

Below – Some internal views of the kilns showing design features.

.

.

.

Below –  Two photos showing the relationship between the sandstone outer walls and the firebrick lined internal structure.

.

Below – Photo showing the Northside with buttress support at the far end which has fallen away from the main structure.

Below – “Loch-head Patent” bricks forming the West facing kiln. “Smeaton” bricks have been used for the East facing kiln.

Firebricks marked Smeaton and Edmonstone Patent and Loch-head Patent were noted as forming the fabric of the building.

The following bricks and tiles were found on-site and are assumed to have been manufactured there.

Below – Six bricks of various shapes and compositions are shown from the top and side. the bottom right appears to be an unmarked fire brick and was probably not made on site. It is tapered and measures 8″ x 4½” with the taper ranging from 3″ to 2½”.

.

Below – Three common clay bricks found on site.

The top brick bears the marks of a lifting fork. The 3 holes are approx. 1 1/4″ deep. The centre of the left to the centre of the right measures 6 1/4″ making the holes 3 1/8″ apart.

The middle brick measures 9″ x 4″ x 2 ¾”. This brick also appears to have 4 fingerprint impressions to one side where it appears someone has scraped off a thin layer of clay from the brick surface.

The bottom brick measures 8 3/4″ x 3¾” x 2 ¾”.

.

.

Below  – Two different types of drainage pipe.

Oval Drain – 14 ½” long x 4½” high x 3½” flat bottom x 3¾” wide

Square drain – 13″ long x 4½” high x 2¾” wide. Oval hole measures 2¾” x 1½”

.

Below – Newcastle type kiln – Source Brick, Tile and Fireclay Industries in Scotland. RCAHMS Publication. Drawing by Graham Douglas 1983.

Below – 2016 – Google satellite map view of Whitrighill or Whitrig Bog Brick and Tile Works, Scottish Borders.