Fletton bricks

Today our local group of the Wildlife Trust had its first guided walk of the 'summer' season round a local nature reserve. Unfortunately the weather was misty, only 6C, and with a brisk north-easterly breeze only felt like 3C! Nevertheless fifteen hardy souls turned out.

Very few of the spring annual flowers were out and we only saw one flying insect, a queen buff-tailed bumble-bee, although Pete did some pond-dipping and found a few aquatic species. The bird life was good though, with excellent views of breeding waterfowl and waders, marsh harriers mating and the sound of a distant booming bittern.

On the tour we had a good view over the adjacent brickworks, the last in the country to make Fletton bricks. It is estimated that 5 million houses in the United Kingdom were built using Fletton bricks which are made from Lower Oxford clay and have a very low fuel cost due to the carbonaceous content of the clay.The bricks are pinkie red in colour and smooth textured. They have multiple applications internally and externally and can fit in anywhere as they are plain in its appearance. They can be painted and rendered easily. However, because they're not frost proof they cannot be used in new buildings, but are now generally used for patching in, refurbishment works or house extensions.