Goddard Way

Goddard Way. Thomas Lawrence Brickworks. , Lawrence Hill, Warfield was named after TLB's founder Thomas Lawrence (1824-1901)., Thomas Lawrence and Sons thrived and is said to have produced ten million bricks per year in the 1890s., Bracknell bricks were transported by cart and rail across the south of England and used for example in Westminster Cathedral, 10 Downing Street, the Royal Holloway College, Windsor Castle and in restoration work at Hampton Court Palace., TLB was particularly famous for its so-called rubber bricks, which were malleable until hardened on exposure. They were handmade with a mould and a wire bow to remove excess material., Clay was extracted from 7-10m deep pits, washed in mills and placed in setting ponds. Water was removed from the top of the pond and the clay left to dry. Some setting ponds are still visible south east of Flemish Place. , TLB was Bracknell's longest serving brickworks and remained in operation from 1800 until 1985., Lawrence was also the owner of the famous Lawrences Stores Ltd on Bracknell High Street which employed 200 assistants in its heyday., This replica is built with original bricks from the Thomas Lawrence Bracknell (TLB) brickworks. The original chimney was free-standing and connected by an underground flue to the boiler for a steam engine. Such engines drove the pug mill to knead the clay and supplied heat for drying the handmade bricks.,