The aim of this book is to show, by word, diagram and illustration, how bricks have been used at different periods and in various parts of England from the earliest times up to the present day. The book is also intended for use on the spot: there is a special appendix describing a simple method of systematic recording, which should enable the user to build up a general picture of the brickwork of a particular town or district. The first part of the book surveys the history of English brickwork throughout the centuries. The various clays and methods of firing, the bonding, the mortar, the virtuosity of the craftsmen of the later 17th and early 18th centuries and the evolution of substitute materials are all explained and illustrated by reference to examples both familiar and unfamiliar. This is followed by a glossary, in which illustrations and drawings are introduced to assist in the elucidation of the terms used in brickwork. The third part consists of photographs (including close-up details) arranged chronologically, but with special attention to periods and types of building in which brick was particularly popular. -- AATA