1. Royal Commission field visit, 24 April 2025.
A square lime kiln set 50 metres from the coast edge on the south side of Porth y Castell/Porth Wen. The lime kiln is depicted and labelled as ‘old’ on the 1st Edition 25-inch Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1888, published 1889) and is not depicted on the 1845 tithe map for the parish of Llanbadrig in the County of Anglesey.
The lime kiln survives in a poor state of preservation, suffering partial collapse due to fallen trees that have established on and around the structure. It is constructed against a quarried rockface, a 3.2 metre length of which is retained by a drystone wall directly to the north of the kiln; it is possible that a similar section of wall adjoins the south side of the kiln, but the area is now obscured by vegetation. Some 7 metres to the west of the kiln is a stream.
The kiln is roughly square in shape, its accessible north face measuring 5 metres in width and is constructed of limestone boulders, bound and rendered in lime. Access to the top of the kiln and crucible is likely to have been on the south side, following the line of the present-day coast path.
The kiln does not survive to its full height aside from at the northeast end abutting the retaining wall which stands 2.6 metres high. Large parts of each kiln face have collapsed, but enough survives to indicate it had three kiln eyes situated in the north, south and west faces. The kiln eye in the north face is the best preserved, set against the rear wall of the kiln with an entrance 1.6 metres wide and chamber 2.2 metres deep. The side walls of the chamber curve inwards and the surviving roof is corbelled. There is a rectangular draw hole at the rear of the chamber supported by large slab stones. The kilns crucible is partially collapsed and filled with debris. It is circular with a diameter of c. 3 metres with a stone lining comprising vertically laid edge stones in the lower section above which are horizontally laid boulders. There is evidence of burning.
Louise Barker, RCAHMW, 19 August 2025.
Sources
National Library Wales: 1845 Tithe map and apportionment for the parish of Llanbadrig in the County of Anglesey https://places.library.wales/
OS 1st Edition 25-inch map (published 1889): Anglesey III sheet 1.
Contextual Information
Lime kilns are a characteristic feature along the coastlines of 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/or 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.
