Limekiln in North Yorkshire

3D Model

An excavated post medieval limekiln in North Yorkshire recorded using Polycam. The main structure is built from hand made bricks, many of which have been vitrified by the heat of the kiln. The chamber had a separate flue locatated in its rear wall to provide additional ventialtion and oxygen to the firing process. The kiln chamber would have been stacked from above with alternate layers of broken limestone and fuel before being lit from below through the stokehole. Once burning the kiln would be left for several days allowing the limestone to break down. After it had cooled the resulting quicklime would be shovelled out and loaded into sacks. The lime would eventuially be spread over fields as a fertiliser to improve the soil chemistry and increase crop yields. This particular kiln is likely to date to the mid 18th century when many of the larger estates in the area were improving their holdings. By the mid 19th century it had fallen into disuse and is shown in 1st edition Ordnance Map as an “Old Limekiln”