The partially collapsed remains of a square lime kiln dating to the 19th century overlooking the beach at Morfa Bychan, some 200 metres to the north of Morfa Bychan holiday park. The kiln sits at the coast edge, some 15 metres above the beach, on a platform cut into coastal slope and onto rock foundations. To the east of the kiln, and likely associated with it, is a double-lynchet trackway, now used as part of the Wales Coast Path.
The lime kiln is shown on the 1845 Tithe Map of Llanychaiarn Parish in the County of Cardigan, associated with land parcel 108, an arable field known as Cae Ty Hen, part of Pengraig farm, occupied by John Jones and owned by James Davies. It is also depicted and labelled on the first edition Ordnance Survey 25-inch map of 1888. But not labelled by the date of the second edition in 1905.
The kiln is roughly 6.2 metres square and constructed of coursed squared rubble-stone in lime-mortar, backed by rubble and clay. It had three round arch kiln-eyes in the north, west and south faces. The kiln-eyes splay inwards and downwards to the draw-holes.
The lime kiln was surveyed by Anthony Parkinson of the RCAHMW in 1971, resulting in a handwritten descriptive account and a pencil 1:100 scale plan, section and elevation (NMR Site File SN 57 NE: Archive No. 6052410). At this date the kiln appears to have been largely complete and additional details are revealed in the survey plan including clear straight joins between the side (north and south) and front (west) wall of the kiln, suggesting that the front (west) kiln-eye is a later/secondary addition. Four black and white photographs also in the NMR site file dating to c.1979 show this join, and the one on the north side was still visible on the RCAHMW survey of 2022.
By the photographs of c. 1979 part of the front face of the kiln had collapsed. By 2022 only the back of the kiln-eye on the front face survived, alongside most of the north face up to arch height and the kiln-eye on the south face. The collapse has revealed more of the internal structure, exposing rubble and clay (some reddened) along with the crucible which was constructed of yellow-brick. Ongoing erosion threatens the site in the long-term and it is now unsafe and inaccessible.
In December 2022 RCAHMW undertook a new survey of the lime kiln through UAV photogrammetry. The 3D model is available to view on Sketchfab here:
English: https://skfb.ly/oKDD7
Welsh: https://skfb.ly/oGPYK
Louise Barker, RCAHMW, August 2023
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.