NHER 14348 (Monument record) - Site of post medieval lime kilns and chalk mine

Two lime kilns marked on (S1).
One kiln shown on (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 24 October 2000.

(S3) records that in 1920 the author was able to enter and photograph a tunnel or gallery cut in the chalk leading from an overgrown open pit situated on the north-east of Limekiln or Dickerson's Lane. The entrance to this gallery became blocked around 1935. In 1920 the entrance to a second gallery was indicated by a small opening in the chalk face but it was blocked by fallen chalk. A mound of chalk in the open pit marked the probable site of the lime kiln. The gallery inspected ran horizontally into the chalk and had several branch galleries, all of which were about 4 metres (12 feet) high and 2 metres (6 feet) wide at ground level. No dating evidence was found, but they may have been dug as late as the 19th century, though the size of the pit from which they all radiate suggests that initial exploitation of the site may have been earlier than this. The pit was certainly of substantial size by 1837 as it appears on the 1st edition map of that date, and was in existence in 1740 as the lime kilns are shown on (S4).
Information from (S3).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 5 August 2008.