Marston Vale

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Marston Vale is an area of Bedfordshire. It lies to the south west of Bedford and Kempston, down towards the M1 motorway. Historically it was one of the main brickmaking districts in England, home of the London Brick Company, is now a division of Hanson plc.

Most of the claypits are now exhausted, and most of the brickmaking chimneys have been demolished. The aesthetic and environmental condition of the vale is being restored by a community forest project called the Forest of Marston Vale. Villages in Marston Vale include Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick, Marston Moretaine, Lidlington, Brogborough, Ridgmont and Wootton, and in 2007 construction work began on the new town of Wixams.

Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks.

At the height of the industry’s production there were 167 (one hundred and sixty seven!) brick chimneys in the Marston Vale.

In the 1970’s Bedfordshire produced 20% of England’s bricks.

The factories used Lower Oxford Clay, which is made up of 5% seaweed, formed 150 million years ago when it was on the sea bed. This removed the need to add coat to the fire, as the organic material burned.