The Chandlery was  invaded by the Wichenford Local History Society Monday last on one of their Monday Meanders. Well not the whole gang but four enthusiasts in search of lime kilns. Trouble is they started producing older and older maps, laid out on the kitchen work surface and off we went on all sorts of displacement activities.  On exuent, Ian kindly volunteered to accompany them to sites that he/we know of mainly through our work on local footpaths, but geology too.  He verified later that the name given to the Monday activity was most apt.

Lime kilns were used to ermm fire limestone quarried from our local hills, firing to make quicklime for mortar and for adding to fields to make them less acidic. All limestone quarried as far as we know from the more Easterly ramparts, and all being Wenlock series (why no Aymestry–next hills across to the West–any ideas?) of the Silurian period i.e. around 420 million years age, laid down in warm, balmy shallow seas with myriads of shell fish and plants.    Sounds lovely as I write this looking out on teeming rain and putative snow.  We know of five or six kilns and can assume there were more, perhaps many more, as quarries are abundant in the area.  HERE and HERE are links.  Please send us the results of your research ladies, maybe to form another blog.