Lime Kiln Restoration for Historic England – Minninglow, Peak District

A Two-Month Heritage Restoration Project Using Traditional Methods and Generations of Stone Knowledge

⭐ Project Overview

Derbyshire Walling & Landscaping was commissioned to undertake a specialist heritage restoration project for Historic England: the complete rebuild and preservation of a historic lime kiln located at Minninglow in the Peak District.This commercial project required two months of continuous work, completed by our team of four skilled craftsmen.

The lime kiln—an important piece of Derbyshire’s industrial history—had partially collapsed and required a full structural restoration using traditional stone techniques and lime mortar.

🏗️ Excavation & Structural Recovery

Restoring the kiln began with carefully removing the fallen stonework. A 17-ton excavator was brought in to safely extract collapsed sections and expose the original footprint of the structure.

Once cleared, the team hand-sorted the 85 tonnes of natural random limestone on site, ensuring every stone was prepped, positioned and reused wherever possible to maintain authenticity.

🧱 Rebuilding With Precision & Historic Accuracy

Historic England’s architect provided a key specification:

“A band of large stones must run around the middle of the structure, with the stones above and below this band built from smaller pieces.”

This meant the kiln needed to be rebuilt exactly as it once stood, following historical patterns, sizes and stacking methods.

Our work included:

• Hand-making all new keystones (archway stones)

• Rebuilding the arch using correct load-bearing methods

• Reconstructing the stone bands to match the original layout

• Ensuring total structural authenticity using traditional stone knowledge

  
  

Where mortar was needed, we used NHL 3.5 lime mortar—the correct grade for breathing, movement and longevity in historic structures.Other than this, the kiln remained fully dry-stone, just as originally constructed.

🧾 Traditional Craftsmanship Meets Modern Responsibility

Projects like this rely on deep generational knowledge of:

• Lime mortar behaviour

• Dry-stone building philosophy

• Weight and load distribution

• Regional stone patterns

• Historic Peak District construction methods

  
  

Our team followed the historic blueprint with meticulous attention to detail, rebuilding the kiln to mirror its original form while ensuring it will stand for decades to come.

🏆 Award-Winning Restoration

Following the completion of the project, the architect overseeing the restoration received the “Restoration of a Historic Garden or Landscape Award” in 2023.

This recognition reflects the dedication, accuracy and craftsmanship applied to every stage of the rebuild — and we’re proud to have played a central role in preserving one of Derbyshire’s historic industrial structures.

📞 Interested in Specialist Heritage or Stone Restoration Work?

From listed structures to traditional dry stone walls, Derbyshire Walling & Landscaping provides expert craftsmanship rooted in decades of experience.