A Taste of Lime Traditional Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Related Web Page
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
An easily found lime kiln, close to the historic Tintern Abbey.
Lime was important to our forefathers and was used in building for mortar, plaster and limewash. It was also used in a variety of industrial processes and in agriculture as a soil improver. Lime is made by heating limestone to over 1000°C and kilns exist throughout the country wherever lime is found; they are a common feature of the Wye Valley because of the availability of limestone and plentiful supplies of charcoal as fuel.
There is free car park at Tintern Abbey: SO533001
This limekiln at Tintern was used from the 1700s onwards and was out of use by 1902. The approach is behind the Abbey Hotel, previously the Beaufort Arms which dates from approx. 1206. The walk to the cache follows the line of the ancient Abbey perimeter wall. The kiln is in the centre of the structure between the two arched tunnels and was filled with limestone from surrounding quarries and charcoal from the coppiced woodlands. The burning could be continuous with the two tunnels used alternately. The lime was raked out through the holes at the back of the tunnels and left to cool.
The working life for a “limeburner” was hard, dangerous and very unpleasant. In addition to physical effort of shovelling tons of rock the lime dust caused chemical burns as it settled on their bare skin, moist with perspiration from the heat and hard work. The billowing smoke and fumes also caused lung disease.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur erirefr bs gur zbffl jnyy gb gur yrsg bs gur cngu hc gb gur xvya, nobhg n zrger qbja sebz gur tnc. Gurer vf ab arrq gb zbir nal fgbarf va gur Qel Fgbar jnyy gb svaq gur pnpur.