Limekiln On A387 25M To North Of Bamada

This is a limekiln located on the A387, 25 meters north of Bamada, and it is possibly from the 18th century. The structure is made of stone rubble with dressed stone arches and has an almost square shape. It features two round-arched dressed stone openings with deeply splayed reveals, which are blocked at the rear, and contains a single cylindrical chamber inside. The top is flat and the kiln is built into the side of a steep slope to facilitate top loading, with stone rubble retaining walls at the back. At the time of inspection, the site was heavily overgrown.

The limekiln is situated about 80 meters east of the East Looe River and the Liskeard and Union Canal, which was authorized in 1825 to support agricultural work by linking Liskeard with the tidal waters at Looe. Limestone, transported by barge, was burned at the four limekilns in Sandplace, including this one. Other nearby limekilns include those to the south of South Lankelly in St Keyne Parish and at Moorswater in Liskeard Rural District. The canal was later replaced by the Liskeard and Caradon Railway, which opened in 1846.

Historical records indicate that limekilns at Sandplace were erected by John Francis Buller of Morval in 1743 and again in 1766-67. Farm accounts show that the Morval lands were treated with lime to reduce soil acidity, making it suitable for growing wheat and barley. An annual lease from 1777 specified that each acre of land should be treated with 80 horse loads of good salt, sea sand, or four 16-gallon bushels of lime.