Lime kilns at Seahouses Harbour. Photo by Northumberland County Council.

Lime kilns, probably late 18th century. Seven large round arches now with double doors. Canted corner on right. Two more arches on left return. Arches are corbelled to small round-headed eyes. (1)

Lime kilns at Seahouses harbour. Seven arches facing seawards, two arches at west end. Re-used for storage. See slides Y22-23. (2)

A well preserved bank of late 18th century commercial lime kilns located on Seahouses harbour, which operated between 1795-1858. The consist of a large square block of kilns with seven round arched draw tunnels on the north east seaward side, which corbel down to round headed draw eyes, with a further two arches on the north west return and a possible further blocked draw arch in the south east end. The construction, of well dressed and coursed sandstone masonry, is impressive and forms a prominent local landmark. The pots are capped and grassed and are in part used as a beer garden, though four pots are depicted on the early edition OS maps, whilst the arches are blocked with double doors and are used for storage. The lime was loaded directly into boats in the adjacent purpose-built harbour and exported to ports along the east coast, Scottish markets.
The site is nationally important and contrasts sharply with the design of the coastal kilns at Beadnell and Holy Island. They are currently in use for multiplestorage by local fishermen. (3)

These kilns were developed by the Lord Crewe Estate as a commercial concern at the end of the 18th century. The products of the kilns was shipped from Seahouses harbour to Scottish ports for agricultural use. Kilns survive in an abandoned state as a substantial rectilinear block. The block comprises of four circular pots (now capped) accessed by ten round-headed arches, seven along the northface, two on the west return and a tenth on the east return. Internally the timber doors are diminished by the corbelled cross wall and narrow round-headed draw holes. Access to the top of the kiln was from the south-west via a loading ramp skew to the block, but this has been encrouched by later buildings and there is no evidence for it today although the alignment of the Viking public house must reflect its former presence. (4)

Robin Kent Ltd. Carried out a general condition report with recommendations and a Historic England level 2 survey of the listed limekilns at Seahouses. The report highlighted that the limekilns were of considerable cultural and environmental significance but were in urgent need of a programme of masonry repair for their preservation and public safety. The report recommended the various stages of work and planning that would be required. (5)

Additional references (6a-b)