Stepping back in time at kiln

A major story of Shropshire's industrial heritage can now be retold thanks to the completion of a £900,000 conservation project near Oswestry.

The official opening ceremony of the Llanymynech limeworks heritage site was held yesterday in front of invited guests, villagers and schoolchildren.

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The limeworks has the UK's only lime-burning Hoffman kiln with its chimney intact. The kiln itself is one of only three remaining in the country.

The kiln was an integral part of the limestone industry at Llanymynech in the 19th century.

Limestone was quarried from rocks at Llanymynech, taken to the kiln and then loaded on trains and canal barges.

Lime was used extensively in farming and manufacturing and the lime from Llanymynech was taken all over Shropshire and beyond.

Yesterday's ceremony, which included singing from children from Carreghoffa Primary School in Llanymynech and Bryn Offa Primary School in Pant, marked the end of a 10-year project to turn the old kiln and the surrounding area into a tourist attraction and educational site.

The kiln's chimney was lit for the first time in 100 years to mark the occasion and Oswestry actor Richard Brazier was on hand to portray the quarry's former owner Thomas Savin.

County councillor Dilys Gaskell said she was delighted the project had been completed after years of hard work.

She said the site would be a vital tool in teaching schoolchildren all about the limestone process and would help them learn more about Shropshire's industrial history.

Mrs Gaskell said the secret to the success of the project was partnership working and involving the community in the plans.

She said: "This whole project has been community driven. I have known of this area for nearly 40 years and during this time we have been told of many ideas of what was to be done.

"But no one asked the community until 1998 when a parish appraisal was carried out by the parish council and the over-riding result was that people wanted the heritage area restored and gave us ideas and suggestions.

"From this we set up the Llanymynech Heritage Partnership with 17 stakeholders including Shropshire County Council and Powys County Council along with the village organisations."

Other organisations involved in the project include Shropshire and Montgomery Wildlife Trusts, British Waterways and Oswestry Borough Council.

By Iain St John

Richard Brazier plays the quarry's former owner Thomas Savin

at the opening. Pictures by Simon Williams.

Eleanor Evans, nine, with Jessica Wyatt, 10, at the official opening of the renovated Hoffman Kiln in Llanymynech.

School children listen to the opening ceremony.