# Cowdale Lime works, Buxton, September 2014



## HughieD

This place has featured in the past on the forum but has not been done in a long while so this seems like as good a time as any to reintroduce this old friend.

Driving along the A6, before you reach Buxton the monolithic buildings of the former Cowdale lime works rise up on the hill to the left. Lime quarrying has been common in this part of Derbyshire ever since the 1800s. In 1891 fierce competition saw 13 quarry owners consolidate their 17 quarries into the Buxton Lime Firms. They were controlled by four directors who tried to create a monopoly by raising the price of lime. Around the turn of the 20th century they were produced 280,000 tons of lime per year and dominated the industry in Derbyshire. The Cowdale quarry was initially established in 1898 by the New Buxton Lime Co and listed as 'Staden Quarry'. The large stone-built kilns standing 50 foot high included a network of railway sidings above the A6. The four shaft kilns were taken over by the Buxton Lime Firms in 1908 and, shortly afterwards in 1909, three concrete buildings (the gate-house, power house and ancillary building) were built close to the A6 in a highly unusual 'neo-Egyptian' style. 

The firm supplied high quality lime to Brunner Mond who finally bought BLF in 1918. In the mid-1920s concrete buttresses were added to the kilns shortly before the works were merged in 1927 to form I.C.I. Ltd. Quarrying ceased in 1948 but the works remained in operation until 1955 in order to store stone. In the latter part of the 20th century the tramlines were removed and some of the mine's buildings were demolished. The remaining works were left to slowly decay. 

In 1997 English Heritage assessed the quarry as part of its 'Monument Protection Plan', concluding that the site contained 'very impressive remains'. In 2010 a development proposal by Buxton Water to use the site as a water bottling plant and for storage was tabled. It also included plans for the development of a heritage visitor's centre and heritage trail. This required the need for the establishment of improved road access and the subsequent demolition of the power house. The planning application was refused in June 2011 and again on appeal in September 2012. However the power house was demolished in controversial circumstances in May 2011 just prior to the first planning application on the grounds that the structure was considered 'dangerous' by High Peak Borough Council (Section 80). This is what it originally looked like (Photo courtesy of Ted McAvoy, 2010):



Buxton (with a hint of Egyptian) by tedmcavoy, on Flickr

This was seen by many as a significant loss in terms of the site’s heritage. The BLF logo on the building was the last that bore such a mark. Shortly after English Heritage scheduled the remaining structures on the site, ensuring the two other BLF buildings and the buttressed kilns were now under statutory protection.

OK, on with the pictures:

The first structure you come to is the gatehouse clearly visible from the A6:



img6304 by HughieDW, on Flickr



img6305 by HughieDW, on Flickr



img6306 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Continuing up the track you come to the ancillary building:



img6307 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A short distance on from this are the four buttressed kilns:



img5550 by HughieDW, on Flickr



img5554 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Where some rather nice street-art has recently appeared:



img6311 by HughieDW, on Flickr



img6314 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A couple of internals of the kilns:



img6313 by HughieDW, on Flickr



img6312 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Carrying further on you come to the hoppers:



img6321 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the intricate pulley system:



img6319 by HughieDW, on Flickr



img6317 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Retracing your steps and going up the track to the top of the mine you reach the quarry itself:



img6323 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Now returned back to grazing land:



img5564 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And the resting place of an old steam boiler:



img6324 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!


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## Mikeymutt

Nice photos there..what an interesting and different place that is


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## DirtyJigsaw

Nice to see something different. Thanks!


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## HughieD

Cheers guys!


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## flyboys90

Really good and interesting report! the buildings are so impressive.Thank you.


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## HughieD

flyboys90 said:


> Really good and interesting report! the buildings are so impressive.Thank you.



Cheers Flyboys. Just a shame about the power house.


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## The Wombat

Thats an interesting report, cheers for sharing


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## tumble112

What a pity the power house was levelled! This is certainly something different, it almost has a ww2/cold war feel to it.


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## HughieD

tumble1 said:


> What a pity the power house was levelled! This is certainly something different, it almost has a ww2/cold war feel to it.



If the windows were narrower they would be bunkers! The flattening of the power house was criminal. Not in a million years was it unsafe. It was a sticking point with English Heritage for the planning permission. Hence they thought if we can get it demolished independently of the planning application it removes one of the hurdles.


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## Onmyown

Nice to see something different, cheers..


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## decker

Really like the contrast between structure and greenery, great !


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## HughieD

decker said:


> Really like the contrast between structure and greenery, great !



Cheers Decker. It's a really nice site to explore and one where nature is slowly taking back over.


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