Kiln - lime, Glentane, Co. Cork

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Kilns

Kiln – lime, Glentane, Co. Cork

Along a roadside in Glentane, Co. Cork, a lime kiln sits heavily overgrown, its stonework quietly disappearing into vegetation.

It is easy to pass without noticing, which is precisely why it is worth pausing over. These structures were once a practical fixture of the Irish agricultural landscape, used to burn limestone at high temperatures to produce quicklime, which farmers then spread across acidic soils to improve their fertility. Their presence in the countryside marks the rhythms of pre-industrial farming as clearly as any document.

This particular kiln stands roughly four metres high, with its principal face oriented to the northeast. At its base sits an arched recess, the draw arch, measuring approximately two and a half metres in height, two metres wide, and three metres deep. This opening is where the burnt lime would have been raked out once the firing was complete. The arched form is typical of Irish lime kilns, giving the structure enough structural integrity to withstand repeated cycles of intense heat. The kiln's dimensions suggest a solidly built example, though the encroaching overgrowth means its full form is now difficult to read from the road.

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Pete F
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