Lismore, An Sailean, Limekilns
Building(S) (Period Unassigned), Lime Kiln(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Lismore, An Sailean, Limekilns
Classification Building(S) (Period Unassigned), Lime Kiln(S) (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Balliveolan; An Sailean, Limekilns And Pier
Canmore ID 152317
Site Number NM84SW 8.13
NGR NM 83640 41437
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/152317
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Lismore And Appin (Argyll And Bute)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM84SW 8.13 83640 41437
Kilns (dis) [NAT]
OS (GIS) MasterMap, March 2010.
(Location cited as NM 83 41). Limekilns and pier, An Sailean, early 19th century. Two banks of two rubble single-draw kilns, with corbelled draw-holes, giving the appearance of pointed arches.
The rubble pier [NM84SW 8.19] is rectangular on plan with the remains of a store on it.
Nearby are the remains of cottages [NM84SW 8.14].
[See also NM84SW 8.14 and NM84SW 8.19].
J R Hume 1977.
Two unroofed buildings and three unroofed circular structures, annotated as Limekiln, are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire 1875, sheet lxxii). One unroofed and one roofed building, annotated as disused kilns, are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1976).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH), 6 April 1999
NM 835 414 The buildings and associated features of this lime kiln complex, photographed and described by RCAHMS, were surveyed, and two extensive ballast banks adjacent to the quay recorded.
Archive to be deposited in NMRS.
Sponsor: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
C Martin, P Martin 2005.
Field Visit (June 1970)
NM 83 41. The remains of this small industrial complex (Pl. 104A) lie on the NW coast of the island, about 2 km W of Achnacroish, where a limestone cliff some 50 m in height overlooks a well-sheltered bay. At the foot of the cliff there are two pairs of lime-kilns (PI. 104B), situated about 150 m apart. The larger and better-preserved pair lies to the N, the loading-mouths of the kilns having been approached by means of a bridge which spanned the access-road to the quarry-face. The structure measures about 13.5 m by 10.7 m over all at base and rises to a height of 8·5 m. The kiln-chambers are approximately ovoid in shape, having a mouth diameter of about 2·4 m and a maximum diameter of about 3·7 m.
The quarry-workers appear to have been accommodated mainly in small detached cottages of which three more or less intact examples survive in different parts of the site. In addition to these, and of greater interest, is a row of ruinous buildings which stands near the N extremity of the site (Fig. 233) [Canmore ID 152318]. Like the cottages already mentioned, these were single-storeyed structures of stone and lime, but in the original arrangement, at least, they were evidently cruck-framed, the crucks being housed in wall-slots, some of which still survive. Latterly, this row of buildings appears to have comprised a two-roomed dwelling-house with an adjacent byre and stable, but originally the SW portion of the structure seems to have been a freestanding pair of single-roomed workers' dwellings. Lime was shipped from a nearby quay, which is built of stone with the facing-blocks set on end; it incorporates a single-storeyed building which served latterly as a coal-store.
The lime-burning industry on Lismore seems to have been initiated shortly before the end of the 18th century, and was continued until the opening years of the present century (en.1). The existing buildings at An Sailean probably date mainly from the first half of the 19th century.
RCAHMS 1975, visited June 1970
En.1 Stat. Acct., i (1791), 500; Third Stat. Acct. (Argyll), 164.
