Lismore, An Sailean, Quay

NM 83 41. The remains of this small industrial complex (Pl. 104A) lie on the NW coast of the island, about 2 km W of Achnacroish, where a limestone cliff some 50 m in height overlooks a well-sheltered bay. At the foot of the cliff there are two pairs of lime-kilns (PI. 104B), situated about 150 m apart. The larger and better-preserved pair lies to the N, the loading-mouths of the kilns having been approached by means of a bridge which spanned the access-road to the quarry-face. The structure measures about 13.5 m by 10.7 m over all at base and rises to a height of 8·5 m. The kiln-chambers are approximately ovoid in shape, having a mouth diameter of about 2·4 m and a maximum diameter of about 3·7 m.

The quarry-workers appear to have been accommodated mainly in small detached cottages of which three more or less intact examples survive in different parts of the site. In addition to these, and of greater interest, is a row of ruinous buildings which stands near the N extremity of the site (Fig. 233) [Canmore ID 152318]. Like the cottages already mentioned, these were single-storeyed structures of stone and lime, but in the original arrangement, at least, they were evidently cruck-framed, the crucks being housed in wall-slots, some of which still survive. Latterly, this row of buildings appears to have comprised a two-roomed dwelling-house with an adjacent byre and stable, but originally the SW portion of the structure seems to have been a freestanding pair of single-roomed workers' dwellings. Lime was shipped from a nearby quay, which is built of stone with the facing-blocks set on end; it incorporates a single-storeyed building which served latterly as a coal-store.

The lime-burning industry on Lismore seems to have been initiated shortly before the end of the 18th century, and was continued until the opening years of the present century (en.1). The existing buildings at An Sailean probably date mainly from the first half of the 19th century.

RCAHMS 1975, visited June 1970

En.1 Stat. Acct., i (1791), 500; Third Stat. Acct. (Argyll), 164.