74 Benagh Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down, BT34 4SG

This is a mid-18th-century lime kiln complex located to the south of Benagh Road, just above the shoreline at the north-east corner of Mill Bay in Kilkeel. The site reflects the importance of water transport in conveying limestone to the Mourne area and, judging by its scale, represents a semi-industrial operation of some economic importance to the local agricultural economy.

The complex is enclosed on all four sides by a high curtain wall of random rubble masonry, predominantly Silurian shale with some granite admixture. The upper half of this wall consists of smaller stone, with a clear line between it and the lower section indicating that the original wall was later raised. A modern anti-intruder fence now runs around the top of the wall.

A two-storey building is incorporated into the south-west corner of the perimeter wall, with a pitched natural slate roof whose gable forms part of the south-facing wall. The building has no rainwater goods. At ground floor level there is an infilled doorway in the gable; above at first floor level is a small opening with a metal security grille. A fire alarm is mounted in the apex. At the west end of the south curtain wall is a large segmental-headed opening containing a pair of modern tongue-and-groove doors behind painted steel gates. The stonework around this opening suggests either a new insertion or, more likely, an enlargement of an existing opening.

Another two-storey building is incorporated into the north-west corner. This also has a pitched natural slate roof with three courses of bricks to the projecting eaves, and its gable forms part of the west-facing wall. No rainwater goods are present. At first floor on the gable is a pair of sliding tongue-and-groove loading doors, and the apex carries a metal finial. A metal flue rises from the north slope of the roof. Five small glazed openings with metal security grilles have been inserted into the west curtain wall. A section of this wall may have been rebuilt, containing large rounded granite field boulders inconsistent with the rest of the masonry. The ground outside the wall has been concreted.

The north curtain wall is blank except for a metal toilet vent rising from the building at its right-hand corner. The east curtain wall is also blank. At its left-hand corner, one of the stones is inscribed with "G [rest missing, possibly deliberately obliterated]/ ANNO DOM/ 1764".

The stone inscription suggests the complex originated in 1764. The 1834 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map shows a circular kiln abutting a small rectangular structure, all enclosed by a wall. The 1859 edition shows two kilns and a range of buildings along the inside faces of the north and west walls. The 1861 Valuation lists the owner as William Floyd of Kilkeel, a prominent merchant in the town, with Samuel Floyd noted as the previous owner. The complex is described as comprising a "caretaker's house, coal stores, two lime kilns and yard". The buildings are dimensioned as an office of 6 yards by 5 yards (2 storeys), a coal shed of 20 yards by 5 yards (1 storey), and a store of 15 yards by 6⅔ yards. The Valuation notes "a large yard enclosed by walls 12 to 14 feet high and two lime kilns. Limestone purchased at Carlingford and boated here." This raw material would have been converted to fertiliser, mortar and limewash. Richard Nicholson is recorded as owner from 1875, and Robert Nicholson from 1888. Valuation Revisions suggest the kilns remained in use into the early 20th century.