Old Brickmakers

Old_Brickmakers

Old Brickmakers is on the west corner of Lower Green with the High Street and was formerly a public house called The Brickmakers Arms. It was built by Henry Fuller in 1841 on land leased from the Penshurst Estate. Henry Fuller was the proprietor of the brickworks and yard at the bottom of Kiln Lane.

In the 1872 Drainage Report it shows the property owned by Lord De L’Isle and occupied by Mr Crowhurst.  Mr George Crowhurst is shown as publican of the Brickmakers in the 1871 and 1881 censuses.  The Drainage Report describes the building as in good order, with the gutter from outbuilding discharging into urinal and after flushing it, flows to a cesspool and on to a new drain.  Sink discharges through wall into cesspool.  Common privy, not connected.

In 1921 it was sold as part of the Penshurst Estate properties in Leigh – see Penshurst Sales particulars 1921, p. 21 – where it is described as “the well-known and fully licensed beershop” known as ‘The Brickmakers’ Arms’.  It extended to an area of 25 perches.  A the time of the sale is was let with other lands to Mr Lawrence Coomber on a yearly (25 March) tenancy.  In the description it says “the house is of brick, weather-tiled, and tiled, and contains: four bedrooms, bar parlour, bar, tap room, scullery, two cellars, kitchen and sitting room.  Old Shop and two WC’s.  Company’s gas and water laid on.  Good garden.

Although it has been a private residence since 1950, the bricked up entrance to the cellars can be seen above the pavement on Lower Green. The pub entrance was on the High Street. At times beer was served from kegs on trestle tables outside the original front door so that men from the brick works could get a beer at lunch time. The house has unusual oval chimney stacks.

Between the two World Wars the pub was run by Mr.Roots. At that time there was sawdust on the floor and spittoons containing sawdust in one of the two bars. The pub was a beer house only, with no licence for spirits. There was a hall in the garden which was used for dances and where teas were served and enjoyed by boys from Tonbridge School. The only food served was bread and cheese and pickles.

Both the Brickmakers Arms and the Fleur de Lis were owned by Fremlins who, perhaps not unreasonbly, decided to close one of them. The Leigh British Legion was officially formed in 1946 in the bar of the Brickmakers Arms.

 

Below is a further picture from a postcard, date about 1920.

 

 

Brickmakers Arms, plus view looking up the Hill towards two terraces of cottages furthest in picture) which were pulled down to make way for Saxby Wood in 1968/69
Brickmakers Arms, plus view looking up the Hill towards two terraces of cottages furthest in picture)which were pulled down to make way for Saxby Wood in 1968/69.  Between the Brickmakers and these cottages are two further cottages, Engineers Cottages (now called Engineers Cottage and Sandelwood)

 

Penshurst Road from the four charity cottages (now the site of Saxby Wood) - then the two cottages known as Engineers Cottages (today Engineers Cottage and Sandelwood) to the Brickmakers Arms and beyond. Postcard postmarked 1915

Penshurst Road from the four charity cottages (now the site of Saxby Wood) – then the two cottages known as Engineers Cottages (today Engineers Cottage and Sandelwood) to the Brickmakers Arms and beyond. Postcard postmarked 1915

 

Lower Green, looking towards the High St. with the Bakery on the left and The Brickmaker public house in the centre, c. 1920

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated August 2021  by Joyce Field