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Brick
Five types of brick are likely to be found in church walls.
1. Blaes bricks. These are made from powdered coal measures clays, lightly fired. They usually have black patches on one or more faces. When used for external walls they should be rendered.
2. Clay bricks. These are generally red all over, and are heavier than blaes bricks. They do not need to be rendered, but sometimes are.
3. Facing bricks. These are usually plastic-clay bricks, but have a surface designed to be seen. Smooth-faced ones are sometimes terra-cotta ones. Rough-faced ones are termed 'rustic' bricks.
4. Engineering bricks. These are fired at a high temperature, and are very heavy and strong. They are often bluish in colour, or a dark red. As they are dense they can make an effective damp-proof course;
5. Lime-sand bricks. These are made by curing, at a low temperature a mixture of slaked lime and sand, or crushed spent shale. They are usually a light purple or pink in colour.
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