The 1834 Plan of Cardigan by John Wood depicts a bank of 4 lime kilns in Bridgend on the quayside behind the Teifi Wharf and facing the road to St Dogmaels. A second bank containing a further 3 Lime Kilns was located 40 metres to the north (NPRN 800797). Research by Moore-Colyer suggest these are later 18th-centruy in date ‘in 1772 one John Owen was granted a 21-year lease of a limekiln behind Mr Parry’s storehouse by Cardigan Bridge’ (1988, 73; 1990, 28).
No kilns are depicted here on the 1838 Tithe Map of the Parish of St Dogmell, but 3 of the 4 Kilns are depicted and labelled on the 1st edition 25-inch Ordnance Survey Map, published in 1890, they are square in shape. By the 2nd edition map of 1906 only the eastern 2 are depicted and are labelled as ‘old’.
The location of these kilns is traceable on the ground today, but no obvious features survive, though the access to the rear (top) of the kilns remains and possibly the retaining wall against which the kilns were built. The site of Kilns 1 and 2 (east end SN 17765 45740 and SN 17760 45738) are now occupied by a house, whilst the site of kilns 3 and 4 (west end SN 17744 45731 and SN 17734 45726) is now waste ground and a disused block of public toilets.
Site visit by RCAHMW, 2 July 2024.
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.
Louise Barker, RCAHMW, 5 July 2024.
Sources:
Moore-Colyer, R. J., 1988 Of Lime and Men: Aspects of the coastal trade in lime in south west Wales in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Welsh History Review, 1, 54-77.
Moore-Colyer, R. J., 1990 Coastal Limekilns in South West Wales. Folk Life, 28, 19-30.
Moore-Colyer, R. J., 1992 Coastal Limekilns in South West Wales and their Conservation. In C. S. Briggs (ed), Welsh Industrial Heritage: a review, CBA Research Report, 79
Heneb: Dyfed HER PRN 30809 https://archwilio.org.uk/arch/query/page.php?watprn=DAT30809&dbname=dat&tbname=core
National Library Wales: John Wood 1834, Plan of Cardigan from an actual survey https://www.library.wales/discover-learn/digital-exhibitions/maps/town-plans/john-woods-welsh-town-plans/cardigan-1834
National Library Wales: 1838 2nd class tithe map of the parish of St Dogmells, Pembrokeshire https://places.library.wales/home
OS 1st Edition 25-inch map (surveyed 1888 published 1890): Pembrokeshire II sheet 12.
OS 2nd Edition 25-inch map (surveyed 1904, published 1906): Pembrokeshire II sheet 12.