Tithe Nos. 903,902,906
later 905 (Hawkern Field)
It is not known when a
brickmaking facility was first established in
Otterton. or where it was sited. At the Tithe
Award 1843/46 the site of what became the
brickyard in the later 19th.century was held by
Otterton’s Vicar, Revd. John Moore Stephens as
pasture Tithe No. 903- Hawkerland 1ac.3R 23P. In
the corner of this field was No. 902 –“Pond &
Waste”. Also No.906 Pathfield 2ac. He probably
used it for his horse and it was not part of the
Glebelands. He paid a Rack Rent for it,
£28.10/-pa.
It is possible there was a
brickmaker in Otterton in centuries past, but
evidence has not yet come to light.
In 1865 Revd. Moore Stevens died
and in the same year Robert Lipscombe took over as
Estate Steward. His predecessor Samuel Taylor
Coldridge had already set in motion rebuilding of
some of the Estate tenanted farms. On taking over
in 1865, Mr. Lipscombe was faced with ordering
bricks in January 1866 from Mr. Burridge, builder
of Exmouth who had a brickyard at Woodbury. This
was followed by a supply of pipes “120ft of 9 inch
collar pipes” in the following March. This
suggests there was not a brickyard controlled
directly by the Estate. The site vacated by the
late Vicar was taken over for that purpose and by
December a brick yard was up and running. The
rebuilding project was to be extended to most
Estate Farms and very many cottages and the whole
project took 42 years from 1863 to 1905.
Altogether over 80 buildings in the Lower Otter
Valley and more in the North Devon Estate and at
Beer were built. The majority carry a plaque
“M.R.” and the date when completed, MR being the
initials of Hon.Mark Rolle, who with the Stewards
had instigated the project.
In 1866 Mr. Jackson is having
the Rolle Hotel in Budleigh Salterton rebuilt and
is ordering 12,000 bricks from the Otterton Yard.
A year later William Please of Exmouth is applying
for”a berth as a brick & tile burner” and
Mr.Lipscombe is writing to Mark Rolle that he is
setting up a tilery at the Yard “where present
kiln will, with repairs, serve for several years”.
Mr.Please was engaged as the Yard Manager in 1867
and stayed there until its closure in 1903.In a
letter written to the Estates London Solicitors in
February 1868 he states “I have started a tilery
on our own account, as we pay through the nose for
pipes from neighbouring tileries..........I never
heard of an Estate of this size which had no
tilery” Price lists and patterns of drain making
machines are being asked from Messrs. Whiteheads
and Pug Mills and other furnishings for a tilery.
“Only a hand machine was required which will be
moved up and down the shed”.“I do not propose
making larger sizes than 6 inch pipes with the
machine”.
By November 1868 the Yard has
supplied 101,850 bricks to 2 Local Builders. It
was during the 1860’s that the Estate was planning
its rebuilding programme already mentioned and in
April 1864 the Exeter Flying Post has an
advertisement from the Estate inviting builders to
tender for erection of new farm buildings. Lower
Pinn Farmhouse was built at this time, probably
bricks from the Yard were used by the builders
employed. On Mr. Lipscombe’s appointment as
Steward in 1865 rebuilding began in earnest and
for the next 38 years the Yard was supplying the
necessary bricks, tiles, pipes etc. required. By
November 1868, William Please was managing the
Yard and Mr. Lipscombe is writing to him “ Next
seasons arrangements for supplying the Rolle
Estates with bricks, pipes etc. ...I shall have to
advance money to you as the season goes on, as the
coals will be a heavy expense.........I think it
will be best that I should supply the coal and I
propose to get a cargo to land them at Larderham
and delivery them into the brickyard. You will
therefore have the coal and the clay and the use
of all the plant gratis. – also a cottage and
coals for consumption, also as much of the ground
behind the sheds as we may not require for the
purposes of the brick and tiles – also we will
maintain the kiln, the shed and your cottage in
repair unless wilful damage is done to them.. You
should provide your own horse and keep it. Keep
plant in repair except kiln sheds and
machinery”.
In September 1869 the schooner
“Perseverance”, Captain Adams, master, is standing
off Larderham Bay waiting to discharge a cargo of
coal for the Tileyard. It is evident that the
weather and sea are not sufficiently moderate to
permit Mr. Keslake’s lighters to come into the Bay
to do so. This was a consignment of coal ordered
for the Yard by Ellis Sage, coal merchant. Next
month Mr. Lipscombe is stopping brickmaking at the
Yard.”I believe you have 30,000 green brick at the
yard and from 20 to 30 thousand soft brick which
will be sufficient for bottoms and walling of 3
kilns which may be made up with pipes and
tile”
The annual account for 1870
shows a profit of over £280 , with a footnote
“Have not succeeded in making brown tile for
roofing yet”. It is evident that business is on
the increase at this time and in March 1871
Mr.Please is offered Hawkern Field adjoining the
“bricky” at £10pa rent (lately occupied by
Nicholas Drake, butcher). During the 1870’s the
Yard was continually supplying K.Phillips, a
Woodbury builder, who also had a brickyard at
Sowhill Farm, which he closed in 1879, presumably
as the Otterton Yard bricks were cheaper. In May
1872 Messrs. Stephens & Kendrick of Newcastle
on Tyne, the Company shipping the coal from West
Hartlepool, are getting concerned at the problems
delivering it at Larderham and are proposing to
discharge it at Budleigh Salterton , where
presumably they deliver to the Limekilns there, or
at Sidmouth. Mr. Lipscombe is adamant that “it is
not one bit more dangerous than either of them,
nor have I had either difficulty delay or
complaint in discharging coal for years
past.....every days delay is putting me to great
inconvenience as well as loss.....I must withdraw
the order if you cannot get a vessel within a week
from this date”.
1874 Mr. Lipscombe is receiving
complaints as to the quality of “Pan Tile,
Flooring Squares and a crease?. I have one of the
latter in my office which I would not accept as a
gift from any neighbouring tileries” ......there
is a great difference between the Pan Tile “now
being laid on at Mr.Deans and those which are on
your drying shed and you must make them lay like
the latter in future”
1877 the Tilery was supplying
Bricks, Brick Bats, waste Bricks, Pipes, Tiles,
Flooring tiles. Drain pipes, pan tiles and 9”
squares at 3d each. July 1874 the London &
South West Railway (LSWR) opened their branch line
from Feniton to Sidmouth via Tipton St. John’s
station and Messrs. Miller, Lilley & Madge
established a Coal Yard there. Two years later
they are quoting prices for delivery of coal to
the Estate and receive the curt reply from Mr.
Lipscombe that they have a “cargo delivery coming
from West Hartlepool”. May 1877 they try again and
Mr. Lipscombe replies “The close proximity of Mr.
Rolle’s Tilery to Larderham Bay enables me to get
the best Durham coal cheaper than you or any other
firm can afford to supply a good coal at Tipton or
Exmouth”. But he does ask for “a few tons for
present use”.
From 1878 competition for
supplying coal to the Yard has increased. Miller
& Co., Tipton: Keslake at Exmouth, who appears
to have taken over Sage’s business and the
Hartlepool suppliers, are all competing. Kerslake
supplies 200 tons at 23/- per ton, but Mr.
Lipscombe is trying to get it reduced “as freights
are only 8/6d to 9/- and price of coal is down.
Others have offered less”. 1881 he is accepting
22/9d per ton “not exceeding 150 tons of 1st.
Class house coal”. By April 1882 the price is down
to 22/3d.
August 1881 flat tiles are being
ordered for the North Devon Estate, weighing about
15 tons to be carted to Tipton Station for
transit. Mr. Lipscombe writes to Mr. Please” there
was a terrible breakage last (time) but I think it
chiefly occurred at Tipton from the truck being
shunted when only three parts loaded. You must use
plenty of sawdust”.
October 1881 Thomas Follett,
mason, is repairing the kiln at cost of 3/6d.
September 1882 John Small at Kingston Farm,
Colaton Raleigh is requesting that Mr. Lipscombe
gives him pantiles for his shed, which he refuses.
Mr. Small will have to pay for them “Market price
60/- per 1,000. They cost 46/- to manufacture and
will sell them to you at that price”. December
1884 letters written to Revd, William Green, Vicar
of East Budleigh and to Mr. Please asking to
supply £5 of coal (ie. 4 ½ tons), to be carted
from Otterton Tilery by farmers for distribution
among the people of East Budleigh. This must have
been a bad winter.
The 1884 Accounts Ledger quote
that Mr, Please is paid £10 every two weeks to
12th. April, increased to £12 to 24th. May. Then
£15 to 11th. October, then £12 to 22nd. November,
then £10 to year end. Additional items :- W.White
for repairing Brick Kiln - £1.13/- : B.Keslake,
Budleigh Salterton for cargo coal, 164 tons @
22/9d - £186.11/-: Miller & Lilley, Ottery St.
Mary, coal - £33.19.11d An interesting letter to
Mr.H.E.Roberts dated 22nd,October 1885 tells him
about brickmaking “you can’t make brick without
clay, sand, water and coals.” A visit to “Mr.
Please would soon tell you all you want to know. I
pay him 14/- per 1,000 for digging the clay
carting in and mixing from 25 to 33% of sand from
a distance of about 200 yards, Making burning and
delivering the brick and as the coal costs about
7/- per 1,000, 21/- is about the cost per 1,000
and 25/- per 1,000 leaves a fair profit when with
to meet interest on capital, wear and tear of kiln
loss of land etc. – and therefore 30/- is a proper
price and is what I should charge if I rented the
whole concern from Mr. Rolle and had to bear the
losses of bad debts etc.” The clay used was dug
primarily from pits on the south side of Ladram
Road.
The 30/- per 1,000 is quoted in
letters to W. Clotworthy July 1886 demanding
payment of his brick account, “already many months
credit”. By March 1887 Mr. Clotworthy must have
paid his debt, for he is being offered “12,000
bricks at £5 within one month of delivery and
balance at 30/- per month.” January 1887 to Mr.
Please “Weather has been very trying of late, to
any brick of tileyard which has been exposed to
it, but I have had so many bricks etc.of ours
perished away that I am sure that you are not
giving them quite enough fire and I wish to give
them more fire in future”.
From this time until his death
in 1892, Robert Lipscombe was in constant
correspondence with Mr. Please at the Brickyard.
This was during the period of winding down and
completing the many building projects of the “MR”
scheme. 1st. January 1892 he is writing to Mark
Rolle “I drove to Otterton Tilery today where they
were taking stock, an easy task this year, stock
being exceptionally low”. The project was
completed by 1905 by which time the Brickyard had
closed. (William Please died in 1915)
Details of supplies of bricks
etc. from 1888 are:-
- 1888 Hawkerland Chapel, built
by J.C.Palmer, 50,000
- 1889 Kings Arms, Otterton to
Tom Rogers, 20,000 Pantiles & Flooring
squares to Mr.Hill.
- 1890 Bricks to Vicar of
Otterton Revd.Sweet for the School &
Vicarage
- 1891 St.Peters Church,
Budleigh Salterton 110,000 Cottages at Colaton
Raleigh 150,000
- 1895/7 Railway Branch Line,
Tipton St.John to Exmouth.Bricks supplied for
local section of railway, not known (100,000
named March 1896)
Further letters worth
quoting:-
May 1881 to J. Marchant, Knowle,
brickmaker
“I have no intention of selling
any bricks to Budleigh Salterton builders. I hold
myself at liberty to sell bricks to anyone
especially if you or other brickmakers charge
higher for bricks”- Presumably Marchant was
concerned that the Otterton Yard was selling
bricks cheaper to his wealthy Salterton
customers.
March 1890 to Mr. Please
“Walking at the weekend had a look through goods
at Otterton Tileyard. Am sorry to say that nearly
all the goods are inferior to the goods which you
used to turn out a few years ago. Have not heard
you complain about the clay and can only conclude
you are not giving them quite as much care and
attention as you used to do”. “Mr. Rolle has asked
me to send up flat tile with which to cover a new
lodge at Stevenstone and he requests that they may
be selected and of a uniform colour and I am quite
sure that if they are similar to those which are
on Mr. Goslings wagon shed (Otterton Blacksmith
premises) he would send them all back again – I do
not think you have a bad bargain at Otterton
Tilery, looking at the prices which you are paid,
and I do not know that you have anything to
contend with which did not exist in former years,
but I am quite ready to listen to anything which
you have to say on the subject”
February 1894 to Mr. Please “ I
would like to know what the cost of hauling tiles
to the Beer Village from the Tilery would be.
About what do they weigh per square?”
April 1897 to Mr. Please “The
bricks in the first kiln must be burnt with
Exmouth coal as usual. After 14 May coal can be
had from Budleigh Station (Otterton – when railway
opens)”. Otterton Tilery closed down in 1903.
William Please was aged 73.
FURTHER NOTES
On closure William Please’s son,
Percy Hooper Please, age 27, who had been working
as a tilemaker, then leased the land for farming.
At the 1891 Census James Welsford (age 48) and his
son Henry a tilemaker, were working at the
Brickyard. They were living at No1 (now No.9). The
Green. By 1902 the Welsfords had a newsagents
business here. When her father died in 1928 his
daughter Georgina moved to No.5 (now No.7) and
continued the newsagents & confectionary
business. Also at the Yard in 1891 was Edward
Russell age 40 Brickyard Labourer of Colaton
Raleigh.
In December 1919 Frances and
Florence Durham(sisters) leased the land and built
Hawkern on it. The Misses Durham were benefactors
to the village, especially the School, regularly
presenting prizes to pupils. Miss Frances as a
member of Devon County Councils Education
Committee, took a great deal of interest in the
conditions in village schools.
They were also very conscious of
the need to preserve the general appearance of the
village, particularly the preservation of the old
thatched farmhouses and cottages. They had been
unable to stop, in 1938/39, the demolition of the
cottages on the north of the Green, and the block
opposite the Isaac Trust Houses in 1937. In
November they were complaining to the Council for
the preservation of Rural England about this and
managed to get Otterton scheduled as a Special
Village Area – the forerunner of the Conservation
Area in which the village is now designated.
© Gerald Millington 1997 and 2012
SOURCES
Clinton Devon Estates Archives –
Letter Books, Tithe Award, Rentals & Account
Books
Exeter Flying Post
Express & Echo 1938
Census Returns – Otterton
“Mark Rolle. His
Architectural Legacy” by Alan Ford 2001 Otter
Valley Assn.
