Lime Kiln, Torglass Townland, Murlough Road, Torr, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim

Lime Kiln, Torglass Townland

This is a single-pot rubble masonry lime kiln dating from the 19th century or earlier 20th century. It is built with squared sandstone rubble brought to courses and represents a typical example of the small rural lime kilns that were once economically important to local communities before the advent of cement and artificial fertilisers. The kiln was used to produce burnt lime for use as fertiliser, building mortar and whitewash.

The kiln is located on the south-west side of a single-lane road along the rocky shoreline at Murlough Bay, set on a north-east-facing slope with its frontage facing towards the sea. Its draw hole is positioned at the base of the facade and comprises a segmental arch which gives into a splayed reveal containing two arches of diminishing size, with the innermost arch sitting directly over the actual hole. All arches have roughly dressed voussoirs. The hole is now largely buried beneath an accumulation of sediment. On either side of the front arch's crown are small rectangular damper holes which controlled the rate of burning in the pot. The back of the right-hand (north-west) elevation features a curved random rubble retaining wall built into the slope, while the ground on the left side of the frontage is reveted to create a level area in front of the draw hole. The top of the kiln is flat and contains a single circular stone-lined pot set centrally, from which a tree is now growing. Metal bars have been placed over the opening in the interests of public safety.

The kiln is situated just above the wave-swept shoreline in an area of open ground at the base of a basalt escarpment. A track leads up the slope to the west of the kiln, from which a small earthen ramp leads across to the top of the pot. There is no obvious limestone quarry in the immediate vicinity; rock falls from the limestone horizon underneath the basalt may have been the source material. The single-lane road in front would have been used to transport lime to its points of use.

A lime kiln is depicted at this location on Ordnance Survey maps from 1832 and 1855. It is captioned as disused on the 1904 map and marked as 'L.K.' on the 1922 edition. The map evidence indicates that the present structure dates from the early 19th century or possibly earlier, though it is not impossible that it represents a later 19th or earlier 20th century rebuild of an earlier kiln. The quality of its construction suggests a rebuild.

The kiln has original and intact fabric in reasonable repair, and is of local interest. It has group value with a second lime kiln of similar age, materials and construction located along Murlough Road within the townland of 'Bighouse'.