Somerset Brick and Tile Museum

The Somerset Brick and Tile Museum stands on East Quay in Bridgwater, on the banks of the River Parrett, and preserves the last surviving Scotch kiln from the town's once enormous brick and tile industry. In the 19th century Bridgwater was one of the most important centres of clay product manufacture in Britain, with dozens of yards lining the Parrett and shipping pantiles, bricks and decorative tiles all over the world from this tidal port.

The museum centres on the tall, brick-built kiln itself, which has been conserved and is open for visitors to step inside and see how it was loaded and fired. Display panels and small exhibits explain the clay-working processes, the lives of the workers, and how products such as the distinctive Bridgwater double Roman tile travelled by sailing barge and steamer to markets across the Empire.

It is a compact, free-to-visit site run as part of the South West Heritage Trust's network and pairs well with a riverside walk along the Parrett and a visit to the nearby Blake Museum in the town centre.