If
bricks could be made close to the canal route, the expense and difficulties
of transportation would be avoided. Luckily, much of the local clay was
suitable for brickmaking, and amongst others, Pewsham Forest Brickworks was
established during the 1790s. Robert Whitworth estimated that Forest
Brickworks would need to produce at least one million bricks, including
those needed for Stanley Aqueduct. He decided that, to save the amount of
Brick Tax which would need to be paid per brick, bricks should be larger
than standard, meaning that 700 would be used instead of 1000.
In
the early nineteenth century, John Cullis was producing bricks at what was
locally called ‘Cullis’s Yard’ working with his sons and family members in a
successful, prosperous business. They supplied bricks not only to the canal
company, but also to local communities, and some of the ‘large’ bricks have
been found within buildings on Wood Lane. Bricks were shipped out to Lacock
and Melksham, and the business continued to thrive on work from the canal
company which needed bricks for repairs to structures, until John Cullis was
able to retire during the 1850s, passing the business on to his sons.
Unfortunately, this change coincided with the rise of the railway, and the
decline of the canal, leading to reduced business for Forest Brickworks,
until William Cullis was declared bankrupt in 1853. Many of the Cullis
family left the Chippenham area, and it is likely that William Brinkworth,
who owned the coal yard at the wharf in Timber Street, took over the
brickworks.
