Report - Bretby Pottery Klondyke works bottle kiln, Newhall, Derbyshire - May 23

[StolenMonkey]

As the site has been well documented on here I'll keep this bit short! Built in 1899, the Kiln is single skinned red brick, with firemouths around the base and a cast iron framed doorway known as a Clammin, and has a domed internal ceiling. It seems structurally in good shape, but with a lot of debris inside the kiln and surrounding building as you would expect.

Visited with @Bumblebee87 at dusk as its just down the road from me so seemed like a good first pottery to check out, but unfortunately all the access points to the rest of the buildings were well sealed and had been smothered in axle grease or vandal grease, and we didn't have time to go around to the other side of the building to look for ant other access, so another trip will be needed with a little more planning!

posting my pictures and Bumblebee87's too

The domed inner ceiling

The Clammin, I really love the Iron frame

The iron bands around the circumference of the kiln known as Bonts


Bumblebee87's pics ⬇️

relatively recent fencing put up covered with vandal grease

A few bags of sodium are knocking around, used during firing to create the salt glaze of stoneware

View from on top of the clay spoil heap on the way into the site

Thanks for looking! 😊

Apologies for the double post, not sure how i managed that!!



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[dansgas1000]

Nice report and some nice detail shots!

 

[HughieD]

Nicely done that!

 

[Calamity Jane]

Great shot that overview of the kiln and cars. Nicely done

 

[Bikin Glynn]

some nice pics there, interesting place

 

[mookster]

Honestly you're not missing too much in the buildings now. The floors and roofs had gone from being pretty bad to collapsed and lethal within the space of a year between visits I made back in 2020/2021.

 

[StolenMonkey]

Honestly you're not missing too much in the buildings now. The floors and roofs had gone from being pretty bad to collapsed and lethal within the space of a year between visits I made back in 2020/2021.

Nice one, thanks for the heads up, I'll probably give it a wide berth. got plenty on my list to do anyway!

 

[mookster]

Nice one, thanks for the heads up, I'll probably give it a wide berth. got plenty on my list to do anyway!

Just as an example the top floor roof went from looking like this in June 2020 -

To this in August 2020 - only two months later.

I can't imagine it's got much better over the last few years!

 

[StolenMonkey]

Just as an example the top floor roof went from looking like this in June 2020 -

To this in August 2020 - only two months later.

I can't imagine it's got much better over the last few years!

yeah, some of the roofing looked dodgy from outside so I'd imagine its significantly worse by now!!

 

[pault2291]

This site is now not accessible due to due to patrols with some big scary looking dogs tried to go yesterday

 

[Speed]

Dont really agree with Mookster at all. This is an excellent pottery with just about all its equipment still in situe. It's well worth hunting out access to all parts. The buildings are ruinous but that almost adds to it!

 

[MotionlessMike]

I had another shufty here a couple of months ago, it's much more secure than it used to be but still worth the effort. Here's some recent snaps - I'll stick em here otherwise they'll never see the light of day.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

This site is now not accessible due to due to patrols with some big scary looking dogs tried to go yesterday

always been guys with dogs etc there its a breakers type place, u just need to choose carefully when u go, Im sure its still as accessible if u try.

 

[pault2291]

always been guys with dogs etc there its a breakers type place, u just need to choose carefully when u go, Im sure its still as accessible if u try.

No they were proper security with dog unit mate guarding the actually factory part

 

[Bikin Glynn]

No they were proper security with dog unit mate guarding the actually factory part

still wont make much difference, just need to avoid em, go sillyoclock in morn & find a different route etc, a vast majority of places we do have security dogs etc.
It is strange that they would guard this place at all tbh, but as u say they are prob more concerned about the live parts