There three limekilns at the Centre; these can best be seen from the top of Russets Lane. The oldest is on the right and the south barn was built on top of it. Two others were added later in the 19th century; the one on the left has been opened and can be viewed from both top and bottom.
Crushed limestone from both Bakers Pit and Higher Kiln Quarries was burned in these kilns, using coal as a fuel. This resulted in the production of quicklime (calcium oxide) which was later hydrated to produce slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) which could safely be spread on fields to reduce soil acidity and improve crop yields. A full description of the process forms one part of the guided walks programme at the Centre and is featured in the Limekilns leaflet – see books and leaflets
It seems that the great majority of limestone from these quarries was used for agricultural purposes though small amounts were used for building and some of the lime was used as a mortar.
The limekiln technology, which came to Britain with the Romans, died out early in the 20th century as it became possible to crush limestone to a fine powder which could be spread onto fields.