The Old Brickworks Nature Reserve

Once the site of coal and clay extraction, as well as a thriving brickworks, the Old Brickworks Nature Reserve was reclaimed by nature after the industry left. The post-industrial landscape of small pools, grassland, and patches of scrub created ideal conditions for amphibians, and by the 1990s, the area was home to large populations of frogs, toads, and newts.  

In 1997, with funding from the National Coalfields Programme, the 22-hectare site was remediated and designated as a nature reserve. Today, the site supports a range of woodland, wetland, and meadow habitats and is classified as a Site of Biological Interest, offering a peaceful escape in the heart of the urban environment.