History in Structure

Bank of Lime Kilns at Pentre Gwenlais Stone Quarry, Pentre Gwenlais Road (NE side)

A Grade II Listed Building in Llandybie, Carmarthenshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.8283 / 51°49'42"N

Longitude: -4.0209 / 4°1'15"W

OS Eastings: 260831

OS Northings: 216345

OS Grid: SN608163

Mapcode National: GBR DV.W17P

Mapcode Global: VH4J9.894Q

Plus Code: 9C3QRXHH+8J

Entry Name: Bank of Lime Kilns at Pentre Gwenlais Stone Quarry, Pentre Gwenlais Road (NE side)

Listing Date: 9 December 1991

Last Amended: 27 August 1999

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 11172

Building Class: Industrial

ID on this website: 300011172

Location: Built into a steep bank near SE end of Pentre Gwenlais Limestone Quarry which lies to N of Pentre-Gwenlais village, approximately 1km W of A483.

County: Carmarthenshire

Town: Ammanford

Community: Llandybie (Llandybïe)

Community: Llandybie

Locality: Pentre Gwenlais

Traditional County: Carmarthenshire

Tagged with: Lime kiln

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History

Dated 1903, and contemporary with a major quarry development at the south east of Carmel Woods. This area already had a tradition of limeworks: Cil-yr-ychen Quarry, to the east, retains a substantial bank of limekilns from c1870.
The design suggests that is was intended as a bank of 5 kilns - see positioning of date, lack of battering at the left end and springing for a further arch.
An engraving of c1905 and the 2nd edition OS map surveyed in 1905 shows the structure as it is today with three kilns. Railways brought the limestone and coal in at the top and took the lime away at the bottom. The lines at top encircled each kiln. Many associated industrial buildings, including an engine shed, have disappeared from the area to the south and west of the kilns.
Pentre-Gwenlais and Cil-yr-ychen quarries merged in 1906 to form Lime Firms Ltd. The firm was purchased by Sir Alfred McAlpine and Son Ltd in 1975, after discontinuance of lime burning, and is now owned by Tarmac Plc.

Exterior

Vast masonry bank of limekilns strongly battered at front and right end, built in randomly coursed rubble with red brick semicircular arches to the working areas. Prominently dated 1903 in brick over the left-hand of the three arches. Within each working area is a pair of deeply recessed and camber-headed working-holes. Formerly there were hoppers to the front through which the lime was drawn straight down into railway waggons; the upper parts of the chutes remain in situ. This mechanised loading of the quicklime accounts for the immense height of the structure. Across the front of the working areas is a communicating walkway with square-headed tunnels and stone lintels through the masonry piers. The kilns were charged from the platform at the top which has remains of a stone parapet. Reinforcement to left end.

Interior

Tall cylindrical kilns thickly lined with vitrified brick.

Reasons for Listing

A well-preserved early C20 limekilns complex exhibiting unusual layout; design features associated with an exceptionally high level of mechanisation.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Blaennantgwinne Cottages
    To the south side of Nant Gwenlais, and reached from the present-day hamlet of Pentregwenlais by a lane north of the road.
  • II Pant-y-llyn Limekilns
    Reached by a track running just north of the Pant-y-llyn.
  • II Lletty-mawr Limekiln
    50m south of the Carmel to Pant-y-llyn road, opposite Lletty-mawr. North of its quarry.
  • II Felin Wen, Llandybie
    About 1km north of Llandybie village, reached by a lane west of Llandeilo Road. North side of the Marlais stream.
  • II* Cil-yr-ychen Lime Kilns
    Prominently sited 200m to the west of Llandeilo Road, about 1½ km north of Llandybie village.
  • II Pant-y-garn Limekiln No. II (to east)
    150m south of the Carmel to Pant-y-llyn road; reached by a lane commencing midway between Pwll-y-march and Lletty-mawr. Quarry to north.
  • II Cil-yr-ychen Barn Range
    At west side of Cil-yr-ychen farmyard.
  • II Cil-yr-ychen Farmhouse
    To the north side of a lane between Derwydd Mansion and Cilyrychen Industrial Estate.

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