Betchworth Quarry and Lime Kilns
| Betchworth Quarry and Lime Kilns | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | Nature reserve |
| Location | Betchworth, Surrey |
| OS grid | TQ198511 |
| Area | 27 hectares (67 acres) |
| Managed by | Surrey Wildlife Trust |
Betchworth Quarry and Lime Kilns is a 27-hectare (67-acre) nature reserve north of Betchworth in Surrey. Betchworth Quarry only is managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust.[1] It is part of the Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment Site of Special Scientific Interest[2] and Special Area of Conservation.[3]
This chalk downlands site is part of the North Downs and the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has a rich variety of flowering p lants, including orchids. The lime kilns house a variety of bat species, such as the whiskered, Natterer's, brown long-eared, Brandt's and Daubenton's.[1]
History[edit]
Chalk has been quarried on a small scale in the area around Dorking since at least the 1600s. In 1865 the Dorking Greystone Lime Company was incorporated to open a large quarry at Betchworth by William Finlay a engineer. A standard gauge siding was laid from Betchworth railway station to the lime kilns built at the foot of the North Downs escarpment. [4][5][6]
The form of kilns used for lime burning evolved throughout the history of the industry, from small intermittent clamp and flare kilns, to large continuously fired draw kilns that could satisfy increased demand from urban development, industrial growth and agricultural improvement.
In 1805 in "A Compendium of Modern Husbandry", James Malcom stated that "the best limestone pits in the country, if not England, were at Dorking and the lime from these is sought after by every Mason and Bricklayer in London. Both the Wapping and West India Docks are reputed to be built with Dorking lime.
In Vol.3 of the "Victorian County History of Surrey" it is noted that "chalk furnishes the chief industry. Chalkpits and limeworks have existed for time out of mind and the very extensive works of the Dorking Gray Stone and Lime Company, are in the parish, where lime is burnt and cement manufactured on a large scale" These early kilns were fired by wood obtained from the then extensive nearby forests and were worked by both men and women.[6]
The "Dietzch" kiln for the manufacture of cement was adapted for making lime and in 1887 a pair of kilns using this system, and burning slack coal, were erected on the sites of two earlier flare kilns, which were coned-shaped kilns, fired initially by coke and then coal. Ten years later a further two "Dietzch" kilns were built on the site of a further flare kiln. [6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Betchworth Quarry and Lime Kilns". Surrey Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment". Special Areas of Conservation. Natural England. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ Lime, Harry (July 2001). "The Dorking Greystone Lime Company and its railway - a tale of four gauges". Railway Bylines. pp. 350–354.
- ^ Travis, Anthony S. (2004). "The Locomotives at Betchworth Lime Works in Southern England". The Journal of the Society for Industrial Archeology. 30 (2): 25–39. JSTOR 40968664.
- ^ a b c Townsend, J.L. (1960). The History of The Dorking Greystone Lime Co. LTD. and the locomotive Townsend Hook. Narrow Gauge Railway Society. (published 1961). pp. 10–11.
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51°15′32″N 0°15′36″W / 51.259°N 0.260°W
