Location Knab Rock, Mumbles
County Swansea
Grid Reference SS 62557 87618
Date of visit 4 July 2017


 
 
 
 
There appears to be the remains of two draw kilns buried under the main road at the side of a car park.

W. Davies in his reports to the Board of Agriculture in 1814 and 1815, noted that 'the limestone of Gower was the best for manure and whitewashing but inferior to the 'lias' kind for strong cement in building. Though called 'white' because ot its 'efflorescent state after calcification', it came in white, black, black and white, reddish brown. red and white and dove colour and is exclusive to Gower and South Pembrokeshire'. At this time, much of the quarrying was concentrated at small quars and larger ones on Mumbles Hill and Head, as well as along the shore, up at Coltshill and the new venture at Clement's Quarry. Messrs T & J, Thomas paid a yearly rent of £60 for 'the liberty of raising limestone on part of Mumbles Cliff' and Joseph Evans paid 1/- annually for a 'limekiln at a place called Giddycliff.'

The 1815 Report went on to state that 'Several perpetual kilns have been erected (two of which are still visible today in the Knab Rock car park) by Messrs. Yalden and Pemberton who ship off great quantities to Devon.'

Information from: Limestone Quarrying in Regency Mumbles.

 
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© David Kitching 2018
Page last updated 3.9.2018