Buxton lime industry

Traditional round 'pudding pie' lime kilns were built around Buxton to burn limestone that was layered with wood, coal or coke.

There are widespread remains of over 100 large lime kilns, built of earth and rock, which date from the 17th–19th centuries.

In the 1850s lime production at Grin Low moved to a new large quarry on the south side of the hill (which was operated until its closure in 1952).

[1][3] Grin Low Wood is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

In 1874 they started using the Solvay process to make soda ash at Winnington works in Northwich, from the large local salt deposits and with limestone from Derbyshire.

The soda ash was needed for the Lancashire cotton industry and for glass manufacture in St Helens.

By 1915 BLF had developed or acquired an additional 9 quarries including the opening of: Small Dale in 1891, Dowlow in 1898, Buxton South in 1900, Topley Pike in 1907, Brier Low in 1907, Cowdale in 1908.

[7] During World War II, open-topped kilns were decommissioned due to strict blackout regulations for air raids and many quarries closed.

Several active limestone quarries are still located close to Buxton,[9] including the "Tunstead Superquarry", operated by Tarmac in Great Rocks Dale.

[10] It is the largest limestone quarry in the UK producing 5.5 million tonnes per year, a quarter of which is used by the cement works on site.

The Great Rocks Line runs between these quarries and Buxton, where it joins the main railway network.