Waterfall Bridge Limekiln

GREAT STRICKLAND

1266/0/10012 WATERFALLS ROAD 17-MAR-04 Penrith Waterfall Bridge Limekiln

II Lime kiln. Early C19. Tapered rectangular kiln body constructed against a quarry bank. Irregularly coursed stone rubble with quoined corners and dressed voussoirs to a wide segmental arch at the front of the kiln. This gives access to a deep vaulted access passage, constructed from well-finished coursed masonry, which leads to 2 square openings - draw holes or 'eyes' at the base of the kiln - by means of which the burnt lime was extracted. The top of the kiln is formed of a now overgrown flat masonry platform surrounding the kiln mouth, into which broken limestone and fuel were loaded.

HISTORY: The kiln operated at the Waterfalls Bridge Quarry, and was one of 8 lime kilns known to have operated in the parish of Great Strickland. It is one of only 2 surviving examples, and the most complete. It is a draw kiln, a type designed for continuous operation. Such kilns provided burnt lime for agricultural use and for plasters, mortars and lime wash. There was a massive increase in demand for agricultural lime in the early C19, when over 2 million acres of land was brought into agricultural use following the Napoleonic War.

A substantial and well-preserved example of an early C19 lime kiln, with a well-finished kiln tower and deep vaulted access chamber to the kiln draw holes or 'eyes' from which the burnt lime was extracted. Such kilns provided significant quantities of agricultural lime for soil improvement, and the burnt lime was the main constituent of building mortars until the development of Portland cement.