Disley Lime Kilns

Little is known about Disley Lime Kilns on the Upper Peak Forest Canal. They were three in number and they were sited on the offside of the canal between Higgins Clough (Disley or Shaley Knowl) Swing Bridge (Bridge 25) and Dryhurst Bridge (Bridge 26). They stood on land owned by Thomas Legh (1792 - 1857) of Lyme Hall, Disley, where the lie of the land was suitable for their construction, being higher at the back (for loading the kilns with limestone and coal) and lower at the front (for the removal of burnt lime and ash).

It is likely that their construction was contemporary with the opening of the upper level of the canal on the 31 August 1796, to enable it to receive limestone from Bugsworth Basin, although there is no evidence for this. The earliest known reference to them was in an advertisement in the Manchester Mercury, dated 8 March 1802.

'To Let. Lime Kilns at Disley, near coal pits now working under the direction of Messrs. Dodgson, apply at Hag Bank Colliery, Nr. Disley.

This advertisement shows that Messrs Dodgson was operating the kilns at this time and that coal from Hag Bank Colliery was being used to fire them.

The next surviving reference to the kilns comes from a Minute Book of the Peak Forest Canal Company for 1803, which mentions lime being sold at Disley.

From two surviving coal bills for the sale of coal to Samuel Oldknow at Marple Lime Works, it is known that around this time the company was being run by the Trustees of J & J Dodgson. These bills are dated, 1 and 19 March 1805, respectively.

Another reference to the kilns is in an advertisement in the Manchester Mercury, dated 4 March 1806.

'Valuable Collieries and Farm to be let or sold by private contract ··· All those messuage, lands and hereditaments, situate in Disley called ··· THE HAG BANK FARM ··· And also, all those valuable Mines of Coal, lying under the same premises, together with the steam engine, machinery, and utensils, now used for getting the same. And also, all those three well constructed Lime Kilns, lately erected on the said premises ···'

The advertisement then goes on to give particulars of the facilities available and concludes with the information that 'an active purchaser' can expect to make a clear profit of at least £1,000 per annum.

This advertisement shows that the vendor owned both the coal mines and lime kilns and implies that they were occupying the same site. This was not quite correct, as they were about 380 yards apart.

The Tithe Map and Schedule for the locality, drawn up in 1851, shows that the kilns were disused by this time.

The Tithe Act of 1836 enabled the government to commute tithes throughout the country, and this meant a change from tithes as a payment in kind to the clergy to one of a financial amount based on current crop prices. This Act resulted in the first systematic survey of most of the land in England and Wales, with much of this work being done between 1840 and 1850.

Tithe Schedule

Township: Disley
Parish: Stockport
Landowner: Thomas Legh of Lyme Hall, Disley

Square Measure

1 acre = 4 square roods or 160 square perches or 4,840 square yards
1 square rood = ¼ acre or 40 square perches or rods or 1,210 square yards
1 square perch = 5½ x 5½ yards = 30.25 square yards = 0.00625 square acre

Acknowledgement

The author is indebted to Olive Bowyer for the advertisement for the letting or sale of Hag Bank Farm. O Bowyer, The Peak Forest Canal: Its Construction and Later Development (New Mills Local History Society, 1988).