A brick and tile works near Mitford is marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey map, published in 1865. There were many such sites in the south of Northumberland in the latter part of the 19th century. As well as the major increase in the size of the towns and many pit villages of the area there were also many agricultural improvements, especially in drainage, in the areas of the stiff boulder clays. This site is typical of the location and period; there were many other short-lived, and some even shorter-lived, sites in the area. It is unknown where the clay source was.