Record Details
| NHER Number: | 14348 |
|---|
| Type of record: | Monument |
|---|
| Name: | Site of post medieval lime kilns and chalk mine |
|---|
Summary
Two lime kilns were marked at this location on an early 19th century map. An associated chalk mine was also marked. In 1920 this site was visited and the tunnels were found to be over 4 metres high in places.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TL 8743 8336 |
|---|
| Map Sheet: | TL88SE |
|---|
| Parish: | THETFORD, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
Full description
Two lime kilns marked on (S1).
One kiln shown on (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 24 October 2000.
(S3) records that in 1920 the author was able to enter and photograph a tunnel or gallery cut in the chalk leading from an overgrown open pit situated on the north-east of Limekiln or Dickerson's Lane. The entrance to this gallery became blocked around 1935. In 1920 the entrance to a second gallery was indicated by a small opening in the chalk face but it was blocked by fallen chalk. A mound of chalk in the open pit marked the probable site of the lime kiln. The gallery inspected ran horizontally into the chalk and had several branch galleries, all of which were about 4 metres (12 feet) high and 2 metres (6 feet) wide at ground level. No dating evidence was found, but they may have been dug as late as the 19th century, though the size of the pit from which they all radiate suggests that initial exploitation of the site may have been earlier than this. The pit was certainly of substantial size by 1837 as it appears on the 1st edition map of that date, and was in existence in 1740 as the lime kilns are shown on (S4).
Information from (S3).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 5 August 2008.
Monument Types
- CHALK PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1900 AD?)
- DENE HOLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1900 AD?)
- LIME KILN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Map: Burrell, G. B.. 1807. Map of Thetford. |
| <S2> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1883. 1883 first edition 25 inch Ordnance Survey map. |
| <S3> | Article in Serial: Hewitt, H. D. 1956. Chalk Mines at Thetford. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXI pp 231-232. |
| <S4> | Map: Martin, T.. 1740. MSS map. 2. |
Related records - none
Find out more...