# Cocking Limeworks, Sussex, April 2010



## mr_bones (Apr 5, 2010)

The quarry at Cocking Limeworks has occupied the site for upwards of 200 years, but the first documented reference was in 1833 when a rockfall caused the death of a worker. 

In 1906, a lease was granted to 'Pepper and Sons' for the production of industrial grade lime, and two wood fuelled kilns were built. In 1921, the lease exchanged hands and 5 years later 6 new coal fired kilns were built - which still remain today.
The new owners made some other significant changes to the site and the production methods including an aerial ropeway that would have been linked to the quarry.

Production of sand-lime bricks ceased in 1985, the original wood fired kilns were demolished. The site concentrated on the manufacture of 'Calco' which is used in gardens and nurseries. The site wound down all operations in 1999 and has been slowly reclaimed by nature ever since.

The site is extremely tranquil, and made for a very relaxed explore. The ideal place to take my new lens (Sigma 10-20) for a test shoot. We covered much of the site, but it didn't occur to either of us to take the trail up to the quarry where more machinery is supposedly sat exposed to the elements.

The layout and condition of the buildings is very ramshackle, part of the reason why I enjoyed the site.

Visited with Reaperman.

Top of Kilns











Large crusher at the top of the site.


























First covered part of the works.




















Precarious steps and walkways!





The remaining 'battery' of kilns

























1978 Leyland dumper truck, not taxed since 1991
















We climbed up onto the service platforms for the kilns, avoiding rusty metal!










Reaperman
















We never did find the abandoned Citroen Visa I had seen in some of the early reports!


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## lost (Apr 5, 2010)

No Visa? 
This place looks great, your Sigma seems to do the job too - I wish I could afford one.


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## Reaperman (Apr 5, 2010)

Mr bones searched in vain for that Visa it but we never found it.

This was good place for a bank holiday wander, especially as its somewhere that at first impressions looks a bit small and turned out to be both bigger and more interesting than I'd expected. I particularly liked those early 20th century kilns.

Cheers for driving! Hope your pleased with the pictures? I dont think they have come out too bad at all. Especially when you consider it was your first outing with a new lens!


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## wolfism (Apr 5, 2010)

Interesting site, and from your photos it looks fairly complete.


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## King Al (Apr 5, 2010)

Nice pics MB, looks like an intersting site, like the stalactite things and the lorry


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## Foxylady (Apr 5, 2010)

Ooh, I didn't realise there was so much to this site. Nice work, Mr B...some great remains there. 
Mmmm...lime kilns!


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## TK421 (Apr 6, 2010)

Nice one Mr B, always like seeing this place. Did you happen to take a photo of the front of the cab of the Leyland lorry? I love old lorries me


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## klempner69 (Apr 6, 2010)

Excellant shots there Mr B..glad you are getting to grips with the Siggy.Bet you cant wait to use it again!!


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## mr_bones (Apr 6, 2010)

Reaperman said:


> Cheers for driving! Hope your pleased with the pictures? I dont think they have come out too bad at all. Especially when you consider it was your first outing with a new lens!



No worries for driving, your turn next time . I am reasonably pleased but theres still a lot to learn. A lot of the ground level shots looked quite washed out. 



wolfism said:


> Interesting site, and from your photos it looks fairly complete.





King Al said:


> Nice pics MB, looks like an intersting site, like the stalactite things and the lorry



Yeah its not a bad little site, and much more in tact than somewhere like the Buxton Lime Foundry in Derbyshire



Foxylady said:


> Ooh, I didn't realise there was so much to this site. Nice work, Mr B...some great remains there.
> Mmmm...lime kilns!



I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks Foxy



TK421 said:


> Nice one Mr B, always like seeing this place. Did you happen to take a photo of the front of the cab of the Leyland lorry? I love old lorries me


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## mr_bones (Apr 6, 2010)

klempner69 said:


> Excellant shots there Mr B..glad you are getting to grips with the Siggy.Bet you cant wait to use it again!!



Thanks Klempner, It won't be long until I take it out again !


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## TK421 (Apr 6, 2010)

Top man Mr Bones, top man! Of all the photos I have seen of this beast, it is always a side on view, good to see the front is in reasonable nick, cheers mate!


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## professor frink (Apr 6, 2010)

Nice report Mr B. your a brave man getting between those kilns it's a long long way down.

Good work tilting the cab on the old Leyland too.


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## mr_bones (Apr 6, 2010)

TK421 said:


> Top man Mr Bones, top man! Of all the photos I have seen of this beast, it is always a side on view, good to see the front is in reasonable nick, cheers mate!



Its quite hard to photograph from the front as its right up close to the arch, and facing a lot of light! Glad you like it.



professor frink said:


> Nice report Mr B. your a brave man getting between those kilns it's a long long way down.
> 
> Good work tilting the cab on the old Leyland too.



Cheers Professor, I wouldn't normally go up there but it turned out to be quite solid so long as you stick the the brickwork and avoid the platforms!

The leyland cab was a group effort, and very rusty!


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## night crawler (Apr 7, 2010)

What a great report, only lime kilns I have found were in Wales and I only saw the furnace entrance and not the top's. Well impressed.


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