Solved. Its a lime kiln. Picture David Phillips
READER David Phillips was enquiring about the structure seen near St. Helen's Well, Eshton. (Craven Diary, December 2).
It is a lime kiln, probably 19th century, typically adjacent to a limestone quarried outcrop. Farmers with limestone on their land had their own field kilns which they would fire up in the quieter autumn season.
The product of lime burning contributed to the recovery and improvement of the rough hill pastures of the Dales by neutralising soil acids.
This information is included in a book, Volume One of a series called Journeys Through Brigantia by John and Phillip Dixon.
Phyllida Oates
Upper Wharfedale Field Society
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