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Stewartby: Brick Village's Centenary & New Future
4 Jul
Summary
- Stewartby, once home to the world's largest brickworks, celebrates its centenary.
- New homes and Universal's theme park are planned nearby.
- The village's heritage will be represented in future redevelopment.
Stewartby, Bedfordshire, is celebrating its centenary, marking 100 years since its establishment as a village entirely built by the London Brick Company (LBC). At its peak, the LBC employed 2,000 people, producing 500 million bricks annually. The village provided workers with improved living conditions compared to typical industrial housing of the era, featuring amenities like indoor bathrooms and gardens.
Events are underway to commemorate this milestone, coinciding with significant future developments. These include the construction of 1,000 new homes by property developer Harworth and the highly anticipated opening of Universal's first UK theme park nearby in 2031. The theme park is projected to attract 8.5 million visitors yearly.
While embracing this new chapter, there's a strong emphasis on preserving Stewartby's rich heritage. Parish council chair Lee Melville stated that efforts will be made to ensure the brickworks' core legacy is represented in any redevelopment. The brickworks itself closed in 2008, with its original chimneys demolished in 2021.
