Monument record MDO30758 - Historic limestone quarrying and limekilns, Acton, Langton Matravers

A extensive area of limestone quarrying with associated buildings, lime kilns, spoil heaps and 'shafts' are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs in the vicinity of Langton Matravers. The features are partially marked on the Ordance Survey 1st edition map and are likely to be of post medieval origin although an earlier date is possible.

A extensive area of limestone quarrying with associated buildings, lime kilns, spoil heaps and 'shafts' are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs in the vicinity of Langton Matravers <6-15>. The features are partially marked on the OS 1st edition map and are likely to be of post medieval origin although an earlier date is possible. The features are generally levelled or demolished although some features are still visible on the latest Google Earth imagery. The site was digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

<1> Papworth, M, 1994, Eastington, Acton, Westwood, Wilkswood, New Barn, Corfe Castle Estate, Wessex Region, 55 (Unpublished document). SWX1388.

Extensive limestone quarries exist north and south of the road leading to Worth Matravers north of Eastington Farm. Some parts of this area are still quarried. Remains of disused quarry pits and adits are visible across this area. The earliest map which shows these is the 1886 25 inch to one mile Ordinance Survey. The field flanking the access track to Eastington Farm appears not to have been quarried. The earliest quarries in this area probably date from the 18th century when beds of stone here were quarried for paving stones. William Woodward’s map of 1775 does not show quarries but his field names for this area “Broadmead, Great Cowleaze and Nunborough” match quarry names in 18th century accounts e.g. in 1771 “Received of John Bower for the ground of 1,000 feet pf paving dug in the Cowleaze 10s. Received of Timothy Phippard for the ground of 3,950 feet of paving and 100 feet of step dug in Broad Mead £2-0-6d”.

<2> Papworth, M, 1994, Eastington, Acton, Westwood, Wilkswood, New Barn, Corfe Castle Estate, Wessex Region, 56 (Unpublished document). SWX1388.

The land surrounding the hamlet of Acton is extensively quarried north of the Priest’s Way and south of Langton road. Both disused and active quarries abound in this area. The earliest quarries are probably 18th century when there was an increased demand for paving stone which the type of stone dug from this area is suitable for. Several references to paving stone dug in Acin Lane quarry in the 1771-2 accounts probably refer to stone dug from this area. There are references to stone dug from ‘Highlands’ (the field immediately south of Acton) between 1809-1811 e.g. ‘Stone received from 9th May to 3rd June from Jame Chinchen’s quarry in Highlands 474ft of Paving’.

<3> Papworth, M, 1994, Eastington, Acton, Westwood, Wilkswood, New Barn, Corfe Castle Estate, Wessex Region, 57 (Unpublished document). SWX1388.

Remains of disused limestone quarries are visible north of Langton Road and south-west of Castle View. On the 1891 map, quarry shafts or adits are shown at three locations in this area. These are on the parish boundary east of Purbeck View Farm, immediately west of the limekiln buildings at Mount Misery and on the west side of Court Pound track. This area was known as Burnbake in 1775 (Woodward) and paving stone was dug here. In the accounts of 1809 – 1811 ‘John Cross from Burnbake Quarry 13th June to 4th March 1809, 482 ft of paving’. Although used earlier, the popularity of limestone paving dates from the 18th century and the earliest quarry working are in the 112,403 area are probably of that date. Normans Quarry (SY99227890) is an adit opened in the early 20th century and closed in the 1940s. The working buildings and capstan, which brought the trucks on rails fully laden with stone up from the quarry shaft, have been restored by the National Trust (see vernacular building survey 110,183 Court Pound).

<4> English Heritage, 2000, Monument Protection Programme Quarrying IndustryStep 3.2 Additional Site Assessments
Lancashire University Archaeological Unit,. (Serial). SDO17683.

<5> Stanier, P, 2007, Burngate Pearce's Quarry, Langton Matravers, Purbeck, Dorset. Assessment and Recording. (Unpublished document). SDO14470.

<6> Royal Air Force, 20-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/187 4005-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13391.

<7> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 3399-3400 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13400.

<8> Royal Air Force, 20-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/187 4008-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13390.

<9> Royal Air Force, 08-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/163 3003-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13399.

<10> Royal Air Force, 13-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/194 286-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13406.

<11> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 4224-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13387.

<12> Royal Air Force, 13-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/194 287-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13389.

<13> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 3401-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13388.

<14> Royal Air Force, 08-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/163 3005-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13386.

<15> Royal Air Force, 20-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/187 4010-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13381.

<16> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1466640 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 4:15PM