Southern Lime-Kiln Bank

History: The bank of lime-kilns forms part of a larger group with the northern kiln bank, developed in phases from the late C18 to the mid C19. The southern bank comprises 4 kilns built in 2 phases: the earliest are the 2 southern kilns (kilns 1- 2), which are probably c1815, and the northern pair (kilns 3- 4) were added later, probably c1840-50.

Description: The kilns are all set into a rubble retaining wall against the canal embankment: Nos 1 & 2 are set further forward, and built on a higher level (originally a cart- loading platform) than Nos 3 and 4. This earlier pair of kilns have semi-circular arches with brick facing externally, and brick lined tunnels leading to the drawing- hole: in kiln No 2, the drawing-hole is set to the right of the tunnel, and the cone of the kiln survives; a further passage to the left of the main tunnel connected it with the cone (collapsed) of kiln No 1.

Kilns 3 and 4 have high and wide segmental brick arched openings, blocked to No 4, set into the raked-back retaining wall; the wide brick lined arched tunnel (big enough to permit cart loading) survives in kiln 3, and slopes back down to the drawing hole, and the surviving cone of the kiln.

Listed as part of an important complex of lime-kilns - the largest single group of kilns on the Montgomeryshire Canal - which together illustrate the typological development of the lime-kiln from the late C18 to the mid C19.

Reference: Stephen Hughes, The Archaeology of the Montgomeryshire Canal, 1988, pp.64-66.