Artist Emma Smith was commissioned to design a permanent artwork which celebrates the brickmaking heritage of the Bursledon area.
Did you know that there were once thousands of people working in the brickmaking industry. In the immediate area of Bursledon much of the land was used for clayfields and there were a number of brick works including in Old Bursledon, Netley, Lowford, Hound, Hoe Moor, and Hedge End.
Many of these smaller brickworks would have come and gone over time as they were needed and for as long as the clay sources lasted. When Bursledon Brickworks opened in 1897 most of the smaller brickworks had either already gone or were forced to close as they couldn’t compete.
Coralent Bursledon is located at Great Down Park in the centre of these historic clayfields and kilns. It is free to visit and has onsite parking. The artwork is made of bricks marked with the names of local brick workers and offers a place to rest, reflect and connect to the earth beneath our feet from which these local makers have made the surrounding villages and beyond.
The artwork acknowledges that while many names have been remembered many were never recorded and this work pays homage to all unrecognised labour – particularly that of women and children who play an important role in brick making history.
As part of the project we have a database of local names which you can search to see if your family were involved in brick making history. The database includes the makers celebrated within the artwork as well as a wider index of brick workers in Hampshire contributed by project collaborator David Cufley.
Click here to see the names of these local brick makers and look up your own family name
Click here to see the names of brick works and workers across Hampshire and look up your family name
Coralent Bursledon is an art project by artist Emma Smith commissioned by Eastleigh Borough Council. The artwork was developed through artist research and public engagement and in collaboration with David Cufley, member of the British Brick Society. David has kindly contributed the collection of names for Hampshire to create this archive for the museum as part of the project.
Coralent Bursledon is located at Great Down Park and is free to visit.
Coralent Bursledon is a permanent iteration of the original art installation Coralent, created by the artist for The Brickworks Museum in 2022, commissioned by Arts & Heritage.
Special thanks go to all the local families, museum volunteers and brick history experts who have contributed to this project. This database is a living archive and it is noted that historic maps and records are not always accurate: as such we welcome further contributions to this record.
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