Wakerley Kilns..Northamptonshire May 2021

Mikeymutt · Feb 23, 2023

We were coming home from a day out and was not to far from these. So we decided to swing by and have a little look. After a little stroll across the fields we were up close with them. They are actually quite a nice thing to see and quite a size when up close.
These four kilns were constructed during the first world war one. They were constructed for the roasting of iron ore what was used to make iron. The ore would have been transported to Manchester to be used at Irlam steel works. The quarry was only open from 1916 to 1921, and you can see the lay of the land around you were the quarrying for ore took place. Out of the four kilns only two were fully constructed, the other two had just the concrete bases built. The kilns were never ever used.

BikinGlynn · Feb 24, 2023

Nice local one to me, I must go back, I wanna try & climb up into the kilns

HistoryBuff · Feb 24, 2023

Those are very neat looking. Thanks for the really good photos.

Hayman · Feb 25, 2023

There is no indication as to how the kilns would have been charged with iron ore and coke or coal - apart from the arched openings at the foot of the elevated brickwork. There are no openings seen in the concrete bases - at ground level. Were they sealed up once there was no chance of the kilns being actually used?

Today, the kilns are surrounded by fields. How close were the iron ore deposits? And the nearest railway line?

BikinGlynn · Feb 27, 2023

Hayman said:
There is no indication as to how the kilns would have been charged with iron ore and coke or coal - apart from the arched openings at the foot of the elevated brickwork. There are no openings seen in the concrete bases - at ground level. Were they sealed up once there was no chance of the kilns being actually used?

Today, the kilns are surrounded by fields. How close were the iron ore deposits? And the nearest railway line?

Very is the answer. The railway ran 20m past these & the area is littered with ironstone quarries, the closets prob being just North of Spanhoe airfield & just south east of Gretton

Hayman · Feb 27, 2023

BikinGlynn said:
Very is the answer. The railway ran 20m past these & the area is littered with ironstone quarries, the closets prob being just North of Spanhoe airfield & just south east of Gretton

Thanks for the info. That explains their presence in the area. As for how they would have been fed
with ore and coke/coal . . .