Cossey.
The works at Cossey, near Norwich, which now produce many art-works of merit in the form of decorated bricks and other architectural enrichments, were established about 1800, as a brick-yard, and so continued of small size, until about 1827, when Cossey, or Costessy Hall, the seat of its noble owner, Lord Stafford, was rebuilt, when they were enlarged, so as to enable a full supply for the purpose to be made. The foreman of these works was Mr. Gunton, and under his care the manufacture of ornamental bricks, for the new hall, was tried, and with marked success. On this hall,—one of the best of brick buildings, and one which may be looked upon as a gigantic example of Cossey ceramic art—are some remarkably fine Tudoresque chimney shafts, as well as excellently designed and well-executed cusped window-heads, transoms, mullions, &c.; and finials, door-jambs, cornices, panelling, and string-courses, all of equal excellence. These are all formed of moulded brick made at Cossey from native clays, and are still in remarkably good preservation. After the completion of the building of the Hall the brickworks were closed for about four years, when Mr. Gunton succeeded in renting them in the hope of fully carrying out his idea of manufacturing decorated brickwork. Unfortunately, however, he was not permitted to have the use of the moulds from which the Hall bricks had been made; but, nevertheless, he from time to time prepared new moulds for chimney shafts, window-heads, mouldings, &c., and gradually got them into notice, and architects and builders soon began to see their advantage. The works are now carried on by his son, Mr. George Gunton, whose productions are of the highest possible class of merit. Among the architectural enrichments produced at these works,—the designs being entirely supplied by architects, and of the purest style and finish—are chimney shafts, many of which are of the most elaborate style of ornamentation; window-heads, &c.; balustrades; cornices; medallions; crest-ridging; string-courses; plinths; arches and keys; pateræ; architraves; finials; capitals, bases, and shafts; and many other matters. These are produced of remarkable sharpness and of great beauty of finish—the tooth, nail-head, and other ornaments, being very pure in character. They are produced in two colours—a fine, rich, deep red, and a stone; the latter being the nearest approach of any to artificial stone, and both being extremely hard and durable.