“Brickfields” it’s quite a name isn’t it? This name hints at a history rooted deep in Cambridge’s industrial past. Brickfields, now home to City Church Cambridge, was once a vital part of the city’s brick-making industry.
Picture this area long ago. It was a hive of activity. The air would have been thick with the smells of clay and coal smoke. The sounds of men shouting and horses working would have filled the air. This wasn’t always a place for quiet reflection and spiritual gatherings.
Back then, this land was used for something quite different. It was one of several brickfields that dotted the Cambridge landscape. These brickfields played a crucial role. They provided the very building blocks of our city.
Cambridge’s growth in the 19th and early 20th centuries was fueled by bricks. And where did those bricks come from? Places just like this one, Brickfields. The fertile ground here was rich in clay. It was the perfect raw material for brick production.
Several brickyards operated in this area. Watts and Co was opposite Stanley Road. The Cambridge Brick Company was on the same side of the road. The Stourbridge Brick Company was reached from Cheddar’s Lane. Swann’s Brickyard extended to Garlic Row. It also stretched toward Stourbridge Common.
These brickyards shaped the landscape and the local economy. They provided work for many. The process of making bricks was labor-intensive. It required a whole community of workers.
Imagine the diggers. They toiled to extract the clay. Picture the moulders. They carefully shaped each brick. See the firemen tending the kilns. They baked the clay into durable building materials.
The work was hard and the hours were long. But the bricks they produced built Cambridge. They built homes, factories, and roads. They even built the very buildings that now house the City Church Cambridge.
By 1930, handmade brick production began to decline. Newer methods and materials emerged. Many of the local brickyards closed down. The landscape slowly changed. Nature began to reclaim the land.
Even today, remnants of this industrial past remain. The name “Brickfields” is a clear reminder. It tells us about the area’s former life. The land where the church stands now was once a place of industry.
Today, Brickfields serves a very different purpose. It’s a place of worship and community. The silver warehouse and The Annexe host services and events. Yet, the name “Brickfields” still echoes. It whispers stories of Cambridge’s industrious past.
So, as you stand here at Brickfields, remember the history beneath your feet. Think about the people who worked this land. Their labor helped build the Cambridge we know today. The story of Brickfields is a story of transformation. It is a story of Cambridge itself.