Scugdale Calcining Kilns, Swainby
Calcining is the process of roasting iron ore making it more suitable from blast furnaces, these structures are similar to the larger and more obvious kilns in Rosedale.
The location can easily be approached through the woods to the North West along the old railway line which goes directly to the kilns. A large shale tip can be seen through the trees just before arriving.
A groove can be seen in the North West end, presumably it once housed a chute of some kind to load into waggons on the railway below.
The South East end also has brickwork standing approximately 10m high.
The back wall of the kilns are the majority of the remains, as the front wall and any dividers have collapsed into a large spread of rubble in front, some of the retaining fittings are still visible in this rubble.
Layers of firebricks burnt red by extreme heat and it places completely burnt away, can still be seen in position along the back wall.
The structure was surveyed in much more detail by John Owen and published in Cleveland Industrial Archaeologist No. 22.
May 29th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Good pics, i was wondering what was left of those Kilns.
I’m gonna be over that are next week, will take a look myself.