Monument record 8861/1 - Post-medieval clay extraction, south-west of Top Farm

An area of post-medieval clay extraction is visible as earthworks on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data and was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located in a field SW of Top Farm, the 1886 1st edition OS map shows that the site was an extant ‘Brickfield’ at that time, but by 1900 was recorded as the ‘old Brick Works’, suggesting it had ceased operations. The brickfield comprises an area of undulating earthworks, with an L-shaped ditch that is bounded on the NW facing side by an earthwork bank.

{1-4} An area of post-medieval clay extraction is visible as earthworks on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data and was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located in a field about 260 metres SW of Top Farm and centred at TL 03207 70687, the 1886 1st edition OS map shows that the site was an extant ‘Brickfield’ at that time, but by 1900 was recorded as the ‘old Brick Works’, suggesting it had ceased operations by that time. Some 155 metres SE of the recorded Brickworks and kilns, the brickfield comprises an area of undulating earthworks, with an L-shaped ditch about 130 metres long and 10 metres wide that is bounded on the NW facing side by an earthwork bank some 49.5 metres x 7.5 metres.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 25" Series, First Edition 1886 (Map). SNN15221.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 25" Series, Second Edition 1900 (Map). SNN15221.

<3> Royal Air Force, 1940s, RAF Vertical Aerial Photographs, RAF/CPE/UK/1925 FS 2266 16-JAN-1947 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN105266.

<4> Environment Agency, LIDAR Composite DTM - 1m, LIDAR TL0370 Environment Agency 1m DTM 26-FEB-2009-30-MAR-2009 (Digital Plots). SNN111710.

<5> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP (Archive). SNN113023.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 6:48PM