This small wood is named Brick-Kiln Covert on Ordnance Survey maps. As I have driven past I have often wondered what evidence of brick making could be found in its interior. The Kedleston Estate have done some ground clearance and thinning in the wood recently, so after asking an estate farmer I went to take a look. I found no evidence of any kiln foundations, but the wood is riddled with boggy ponds which may have been where clay had been taken from shallow workings, and puddled for bricks on the spot. There was little visible evidence of any brick waste, but I found one nice piece of well vitrified waste brick that has probably formed part of a kiln and been fired many times. I have assumed that this was the source of bricks made in the 1700s when Kedleston Hall was built, but on this point I have not sought the evidence yet.
Uploaded to Geograph by Nigel Aspdin on 11 April 2010
Photo © Nigel Aspdin, 11 April 2010. Licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons licence