Dyfed Archaeological Trust Historic Environment
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Craiglas Limekilns;graiglas
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 9662 Trust : Dyfed Community : Llansantffraed Unitary authority : Ceredigion NGR : SN51886836 Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL Lime Kiln Status : Scheduled Monument
Summary : A group of four rectangular limekilns in a rectangular stone-walled enclosure and associated ancillary buildings. CADW 1994. The site lies on level ground at the edge of a low cliff. It supports grass and dense scrub. The site is largely as described (SAM file, Cd 155:Moore - Colger 1992, 25-27). There are four surviving kilns,1-4. These seen to be set down into a terrace in the front and are backed by a mound at the rear, the latter approached by a ramp at the north-east and revetted at sides and between the kilns. Steps up between the kilns are projecting slate slabs, now weathered. The kilns are rectangular with 3 pointed drawing arches capped with flat stones. The two northern kilns are built as a pair, the drawing arches between the two kilns being linked with a vault now partly collapsed. Further details are given in the accounts which differ in the relative dating of the kilns - CADW believe one of the paired kilns is the most northern. Moore - Colger believes the paired kilns are the earlier. Details include brick and iron re-inforcements to ? and chambers and buttressing and a vitrified cobble being revealed in 4. All appear to be limewashed. In kilns 1 & 2 the chambers are largely infilled. In kilns 2, 3, & 4 the upper chambers are collapsing. There are cracks in the kilns. A plan of 1850 shows six kilns on the site. At A the cliff section shows two areas of masonary 0.5m wide, 2m apart, set down into the old ground surface with burnt material between these may well be kiln foundations. Moore - Colyer records burnt material on the beach but this is not now evident, At B is further structural stonework in the cliff face. The kilns are enclosed in a retaining wall. This is much larger than the kilns and contain a number of features. There are two projections of the enclosure on the north-east H & G. The compound wall is low and survives to less than 1m high. A feature at E described by CADW as a building is probably an unroofed enclosure with walls 4m high. The projection at G contains the entrance between the enclosure and a lane of roughly the same width to the south-east. The wall in G is better built at the entrance than elsewhere. The entrance is flanked by an unroofed alcove, There are apparantly further similar features in the lane ( in F. R Moore-Colger). in the south-west corner of the alcove is a low roofed alcove/D-shaped chamber approached by a passage, a possible dog kennel. Other buildings are shown on plans on the north-east but the area is too overgrown to inspect. To seaward the retaining wall is largely destroyed. In the north-west corner there is a path leading through this ? diagonally down the cliff to the beach. This is now largely destroyed. The section shows that this path has been backfilled with burnt debris. At D is a large mound although there is some burnt stone it seems largely to be of soil rather than industrial debris? modern clearance or spoil from ? during the construction of the kilns. There is a similar mound at C. Much of the enclosed area is overgrown and could not be inspected. Some area seem to have been cleared. West Wales Naturalists (Dyfed Wildlife Trust?) are interested in lime loving fauna which grows on the site. A water channel causing erosion on the north-east of the site has been infilled much material brought form eleswhere on the site - lime stone and burnt stone. CADW and Moore Colger draw attention to the considerable quantities of documentation relating to the site. The site is important because of good preservation, details of ? and documentation. Although well preserved there is ongoing erosion on the north by the sea and the fact that the kilns are cracking and the chambers collapsing is cause for concern. In addition to a survey, a programme of conservation may be in order. There may be a clash of interests here between archaeology and botany. Moore Colyer suggests that the groynes near the site may have been associated with importing limestone to the kilns. GW. 1995.
Sources :
CADW , 2007 , AM107
Cadw , 2015 , Scheduled Ancient Monument Management Plan
, 1800 ,
, 1936 , T.Card.AS ,
Benson,DG , 1980 , DRF ,
CADW , 1993 , AM107 ,
CADW , 1994 , Notification of scheduling ,
CADW , 1997 , AM107 ,
CADW , 2002 , AM107 ,
Cadw , 1999 , AM107 ,
Ceredigion District Council , Ceredigion's Coastal Heritage ,
DAT , 2003 , Aberstrincell Limekilns Archaeological Survey ,
Moore-Colyer,R , 1992 , Coastal limekilns in SW Wales and their conservation ,
RCAHM , 1980 ,
