RSL

By RSL

The Limekilns ...

The Limekilns at Charlestown in Fife.
Once at the heart of Scotland's Industrial Revolution these limekilns were built in the 1750's and formed one of the largest lime producing complexes in the country and supplied a third of Scotland's total lime output. The kilns burned fiercely all year round on a mix of limestone and coal. Kilnhead workers loaded these in at the top and Drawholemen removed hot quicklime from the bottom. This was shipped to farmers for sweetening their soil or to builders for constructing houses, harbours, factories and fortresses. The limeworks closed in 1956 after the introduction of cement reduced demand for lime.
The buildings around the top were demolished but the kilns survived. They remain in good condition, despite having burned for two centuries. Now protected as historic monuments., they represent the largest surviving complex of its kind in Scotland.
There is a visitor centre in Charlestown.

.... take care ... :)

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