Lime Kiln 320M North-west of St Peter's Church

Reasons for Designation

The lime kiln north west of St Peter's Church has been designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * A well-preserved and distinctive feature of the lime industry and an interesting example of this type of industrial building * An important survival and one of the last vestiges of lime production in Portland * Of special historic interest for its location and association with the once thriving, internationally significant Portland stone quarries * It represents a significant physical record of the role of convict labour in the industries on the island during the C19 and early C20

Details

PORTLAND

969-1/0/10009 GROVE ROAD 30-JAN-09 LIME KILN 320M NORTH-WEST OF ST PETER' S CHURCH

II Lime kiln, c.1900. MATERIALS: Limestone facing with a rubble core. PLAN: The kiln sits against an enhanced bank with a charging ramp to the right side to facilitate the loading of the kiln with fuel and broken limestone. It has a tapering cylindrical form while the charging ramp is roughly rectangular in plan. The kiln was sited at the north end of a stone dressing yard, all set within a walled enclosure. Several rectangular single storey buildings within the yard, associated tramways, and a large proportion of the boundary wall have been demolished since the yard closed. EXTERIOR: The kiln pot is of ashlar and survives to about its full height. To the west and east sides are segmental-headed arched openings with keystones to the two draw holes or 'eyes'. At the rear (north) of the kiln is a segmental-headed outer arch to a stoke hole which retains the cast-iron surround to a fire grate. The charging ramp is battered and has a rubble core with a facing of coursed rock-faced limestone, though some of the facing on the principal (south) elevation has collapsed. It is keyed into the kiln towards its left hand end. There are three semi-circular arched openings to the south elevation of the ramp, probably for storage and shelter. At the west end is a passageway with segmental-headed archways at either end, which provides access to the rear (north) of the kiln. INTERIOR: The lower part of the kiln contains some rubble, but the single-cell, tapering chamber appears largely complete. HISTORY: Much of the character of the Portland landscape is strongly influenced by the remains of quarrying, its related transport systems, and subsidiary industries such as lime production. This lime kiln is one of at least six individual examples on Portland that existed between 1864 and 1902, built to process limestone from the surrounding quarries. The kiln at Grove was built in c.1900 within an enclosed yard - which was principally used for dressing stone - and was situated in the disused south western part of Admiralty Quarry. It was constructed and operated by prisoners from the Portland Convict Establishment (now the Young Offenders Institution). Prisoners were first brought to Portland in 1848 and formed a valuable workforce on the island; employed in quarrying and general construction work. The conditions in the prison and its quarries during the latter half of the C19 were a major catalyst for penal reform in this country; many prisoners died while quarrying stone. Local entrepreneurs living adjacent to the prison quarries would charge visitors who came to the Island to view the prisoners at work from the upper windows of their houses. In 1921 the prison became a Borstal Institution and the quarry and associated masonry works closed; it is likely that lime production at the kiln also ceased at about this time. SOURCES: B L Jackson, Isle of Portland Railways: The Admiralty and Quarry Railways (1999), vol. 1 T Archer, The Thief and the Convict (1865), Chapter 13 www.portlandpictures.org.uk www.ianwest.org.uk/Portland-Quarries.html

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: The lime kiln north west of St Peter's Church is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * A well-preserved and distinctive feature of the lime industry and an interesting example of this type of industrial structure * An important survival and one of the last vestiges of lime production in Portland * Of special historic interest for its location and association with the once thriving, internationally significant, Portland quarries * It represents a significant physical record of the role of convict labour in the industries on the island during the C19 and early C20

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

505801

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Jackson, B L, Isle of Portland Railways: The Admiralty and Quarry Railways, (1999)
Archer, T, The Thief and the Convict, (1865)

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