Limekiln and Quarries at Craig-yr-Hafod

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a limekiln, in which lime is made by calcining limestone. The limekiln was in use before 1811, but was superceded larger quarries connected by tramroad to the canal which opened below it in 1812. A map surveyed in 1878 shows the quarry and kiln as disused. The kiln is a single pot 2.5m in diameter with an arch to the east, and is 3m high. The pot is complete to the rim and is unlined. The back of the arch is corbelled to a single draw hole. The kiln is set into a quarried hollow with a revetted approach from the east, and a series of small quarry trenches runs back from the kiln to the north and west. It is approached from the north-west by a path strewn with stone which appears to connect it to the coal level at Pen-ffordd-goch dated to before 1821. The track zig-zags up the hill from the north, which is revetted with stone in places. A cottage sits adjacent to the kiln. The lime was probably produced for local agricultural use.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of industrial manufacturing processes. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques. A lime kiln may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.