Description

Later 18th century. L-plan lime kiln. Random rubble; dressed stone long and short quoins, 2 stone lined flues with 4 draw holes.

SW (MAIN) ELEVATION: projecting kiln with semi-circular rubble drawhole to centre; blind left return adjoing earth mound; semi-circular rubble drawhole to right return in re-entrant angle; shared flue to top; segmental rubble drawhole off centre right, semi-circular rubble drawhole to right return, shared flue to top of structure; earth access mound to rear of structure.

OFFICE BUILDINGS: range of 2 adjoined rectangular office buildings with separate U-shaped roofless building to NE: random rubble, doors and irregular fenestration to NE, rear door to left; ruinous lean-to to right.

Now unglazed and roofless, formerly pitched grey slate roof with metal ridging.

Statement of Interest

Limekilns were usually associated with lime stone quarries, and one is situated behind it, another can be found along the hillside. The kilns/quarries were important for the industrial development of the area, hence encouraged a larger population to the area, especially Pathhead, where workers and their families lived. The lime supplied from the Crichton area is well known. It is said to have been used in the building of Melrose Abbey, hinting at an industry many centuries old. Limestone was also burned in the vicinity, shells being found near the Pict's House at Crichton Farm. The lime was of the finest quality, and was used in mortar during the building of Edinburgh. It also had a use within argiculture as manure and the iron industry. The Crichton limekiln remains well intact and is one of the best preserved examples in Midlothian. The design of the kilns are two semi-adjoining square buildings, with multiple draw holes. The sophisticated construction meant the lime could be extraced regardless of wind direction, hence not hold up production. Adjacent to the kiln is a range of office buildings, now unused and roofless. Tracks to the nearby quarries still remain.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata IDs Q77775150 Q77775153

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)