<P> Early civilisations around the Mediterranean adopted the use of fired bricks, including the Ancient Greeks and Romans . The Roman legions operated mobile kilns, and built large brick structures throughout the Roman Empire, stamping the bricks with the seal of the legion . </P> <P> During the Early Middle Ages the use of bricks in construction became popular in Northern Europe, after being introduced there from Northern - Western Italy . An independent style of brick architecture, known as brick Gothic (similar to Gothic architecture) flourished in places that lacked indigenous sources of rocks . Examples of this architectural style can be found in modern - day Denmark, Germany, Poland, and Russia . </P> <P> This style evolved into Brick Renaissance as the stylistic changes associated with the Italian Renaissance spread to northern Europe, leading to the adoption of Renaissance elements into brick building . A clear distinction between the two styles only developed at the transition to Baroque architecture . In Lübeck, for example, Brick Renaissance is clearly recognisable in buildings equipped with terracotta reliefs by the artist Statius von Düren, who was also active at Schwerin (Schwerin Castle) and Wismar (Fürstenhof). </P> <P> Long - distance bulk transport of bricks and other construction equipment remained prohibitively expensive until the development of modern transportation infrastructure, with the construction of canal, roads, and railways . </P>

When were bricks first used in the uk