Description

The monument comprises a limekiln, associated trackway and quarry face of the late 18th to early 19th century, situated on the steep E-facing slope of Limekiln Braes on the W side of the Burn of Contlach.

The limekiln is defined by low grass-covered banks. It is oval in plan, measuring 5 m from NE-SW by 4.8m transversely, with the flue in the SE side. A rectangular enclosure measuring 7.2m by 4.7m lies adjacent to the kiln. This is probably an immersion pit. The structures are located on a large platform, of which there is a second around. 15m to the SW. A trackway extends up the slope behind the platforms to a quarry face in which exposures of limestone are visible. Sites of this type are evidence of the use of lime in Improvement Scotland as part of developments in agricultural practices and building construction.

The area to be scheduled is sub-rectangular on plan, to include the limekiln and associated workings and an area around in which evidence relating to their construction and use may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

Cultural Significance

The monument's archaeological significance can be expressed as follows:

Intrinsic characteristics: The monument is a well-preserved example of a small limekiln complex. It is unexcavated and therefore has the potential to provide high quality archaeological evidence of the structure and function of limekilns and quarrying techniques.

Contextual characteristics: The site is good example of a type known throughout Strathdon and other areas of Scotland. The NE part of Scotland is particularly rich in such sites due to the presence of a well-defined geological zone of exposed limestone. This type of site is typically associated with nearby farms and settlements.

Associative characteristics: The monument is the product of the Improvement period in Scotland and demonstrates the development of agricultural practices and building processes in the late 18th to early 19th centuries.

National Importance: The monument is of national importance because it has an inherent potential to make a significant addition to the understanding of the past, in particular the Improvement period in Scotland, the use of lime in agricultural and building processes, and kiln and quarrying techniques of the late 18th to early 19th centuries. Its relatively good preservation and known historical period of use enhance this potential. The loss of this example would affect our ability to understand the Improvement period in Scotland, Strathdon in particular.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS record this site as NJ42SE 107.

Reference:

ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOK (ABERDEENSHIRE), Original Name Books of the Ordnance Survey, No. 6 (1867), 108.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland