limekilns

Goytre Wharf limekilns

The Monmouthshire & Brecon canal built in the 19th Century is now over 200 years old.  It was built by Navigators or Navvies across the challenging South Wales terrain to speed up & reduce the cost of transporting of such things as coal, lime, iron & other local products.  Goytre Wharf has some of the best preserved lime kilns, one of which still has the hole in the top where the layers of coal & lime stone were poured.  After firing the kiln to roast the iron ore it was allowed to cool so the lime could be dug out of the bottom through the draw arches.  The lime was put in barrels to keep it dry & then shipped by horse & cart to waiting canal boats for onward transportation.