A fairly well-preserved circular lime kiln is located on the southern side of a small inlet, on the west bank of Castle Pill, just below Black Bridge. The kiln is marked as ‘old lime kiln’ on the 1st Edition of the OS 25” map, suggesting it was disused by that time.
The kiln is built on the southern side of a small valley, against a retaining wall, set against a bank that runs in a generally north-west to south-east direction, with an access ramp to the top of the kiln from the south-eastern (estuarine) side. The foundations of the limeburner’s hut are located on the top of the retaining wall on the southeastern side of the kiln. The kiln has been subject to some degradation, with extensive tree growth along its upper edge, and some partial collapse of the kiln-eye ceilings. However, the crucible is largely intact and unfilled, and the overall form and context of the kiln, including the limeburner’s hut foundation, is highly coherent.
The kiln stands to a height of 3.7m on its eastern side, 2.9m on the southern side and 2.8m on the northern side. It is c. 5m side to side, and 4.5m front to back. The crucible is 3.2m in diameter and intact to a depth of 2.2m from its top-edge. The arches of both kiln-eyes are angular in form, with vertical sides to the lower half, diagonal upper sections, and a flat lintel. The southern kiln-eye is located directly against the retaining wall and is 1.7m high, 2m wide, and 1.9m in depth. Its back edge is curved, and the arch is topped by a slate lintel 70cm in length, forming a 50cm opening. The northern kiln-eye is also located directly against the retaining wall and is 1.55m in height, 2m wide, and 1.5m deep with a curved back edge. It has a stone lintel forming a 55cm gap at the top of the arch.
The southern retaining wall extends for 3.2m from the kiln and is 2.9m in height. The latter includes the preserved walls of the limeburner’s hut which stand around 0.5m clear of the ground and are 0.5m thick. The hut is 4m in length externally, extending partially past the junction of the retaining wall and the south-west corner of the lime kiln, and it is 3.3m wide externally. The internal space is 3m in length and 2.3m in width.
The lime kiln is afforded legal protection as a Grade II listed building (12824) and is also noted in the Dyfed Historic Environment Record (PRN 34516).
Contextual Information
Lime kilns are a characteristic feature along the coastlines of west Wales. They are predominantly of 19th century date, although some were built prior to that, and some continued in use into the 20th century. They were used for burning limestone to make lime for use in agriculture and building. The former through spreading on the fields as a fertiliser and to counteract soil acidity, and the latter to make lime mortar. Their coastal position related to the need in many places to import the limestone for burning, and the culm (coal) that was used for fuel. Proximity to the shoreline reduced the need to move the limestone and coal very far after unloading.
Coastal lime kilns are generally round or square in shape and normally slightly wider than they are tall. They have a conical opening in their top, called a crucible, into which the limestone and culm was layered. Openings on either side, called the kiln eyes, connected to the base of the crucible and served for lighting the kiln and to allow air to be drawn into the crucible. After burning, the lime could be raked out via the kiln eyes. The kiln eyes come in many different shapes and sizes, from arched, to flat-topped, to tall and narrow.
Lime kilns were often constructed in pairs, with a small rectangular cottage for the kiln keepers in between them. At smaller landing places only a single kiln might have been built. In nearly all cases some sort of ramp was needed to carry the limestone and coal to a point where it could be added into the crucible from above. Many lime kilns are found built against the valley sides within coves or harbours, allowing the access ramp to be cut from the adjacent bank side, rather than needing to be built.
Sources
Cadw Listed Building 12824 https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=&id=12824
Dyfed Archaeological Trust HER PRN 34516 https://archwilio.org.uk/her/chi3/report/page.php?watprn=DAT34516
OS 1st Edition 25" map (published 1895).
J.Whitewright, RCAHMW, February 2023.