Broadstone, North Ayrshire
Encyclopedia
Broadstone lies close to the small village of Gateside
in North Ayrshire
, Scotland about half a mile east of Beith
in the old Barony of Giffen
.
or obliged to go to have their grain ground into flour. A proportion of the grain was taken as payment. Thirlage ended in the late 18th century and resulted in a number of mills being abandoned once market forces took a hold. The name 'Crooked Dam' relates to a small dwelling that once existed near the Powgree Burn and the remains of a mill pond site shows that this building was originally the miller's dwelling and the old barony mill once lay below the site of the crooked dam.
, Hessilhead
, Broadstone, Roughwood and Ramshead.
The Barony of Braidstone (sic) was possessed by John de Lyddale (Liddel), Dominus de Bradestane in 1452. Robert Montgomerie of Braidstone was second son of the 3rd Lord Montgomerie. Sir Hugh Montgomerie (1560–1636) was born here in 1560, son of Adam, 5th Laird of Braidstane. He married the daughter of John Montgomery of Hessilhead
, and before 1568 he purchased lands from Hugh, third Earl of Eglinton. He left a daughter, Janet, who married Troilus, the second son of Adam Montgomery of Giffen
. Andrew Nevin, inherited the Monkredding estate
in 1581 and married Janet, daughter of Adam Montgomery, IV laird of Broadstone Castle. Matthew Montgomerie was a resident at Broadstone, but was recorded as living at Bogstone in 1622.
Hugh, first Viscount of the Great-Ardes, granted a mortgage on the lands of Broadstone to his brother-in-law, Sir John Shaw of Greenock in 1650.
, later James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
, also obtained a one third portion of these O'Neill lands.
Hugh Montgomery brought a colony of Irish Protestants over from his Irish estates in 1600 and later a colony of Protestants from the area were taken over to the Ardes and Clandebora areas of Ireland following the putting down of an Irish revolt. Hugh was knighted in by King James in 1605, giving him precedency over his rival James Hamilton, and he was created Viscount Montgomery of the Great Ardes on May 3, 1622; he died on May 25, 1636 aged 76. The Earl of Mount Alexander was his grandson, his title deriving from his descent from the family of Alexander, Earls of Stirling.
Hugh Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery (1560–1636), is known as one of the "founding fathers" of the Ulster-Scots along with James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
. Paterson, the historian, records that the 'Laird of Braidstane's Scotch Colony', established in around 1606, was responsible for the introduction of linen weaving and manufacture to the area around Lurgan
in Ireland; he also built mills, the harbour of Donaghadee
, and repaired Port Montgomery (now Port Patrick). Some of the family of Hugh Hammil of the nearby lands of Roughwood accompanied Hugh Montgomerie to Ireland and became established there as merchants in the Dublin area.
As stated, Hugh Montgomery granted a mortgage on the lands of Broadstone to his brother-in-law, Sir John Shaw in 1650. Sir John stayed at the castle occasionally until just after the year 1700. The Shaws gradually alienated the estate in feus until only the farm upon which the castle stood, remained. The family, from Greenock, were resident in 1650 when they purchased the estate. The castle was last occupied in the early 18th century.
In 1798 Hugh Brown, a merchant in Beith, had purchased Hill of Beith Castle
. He had purchased part of the Broadstone lands prior to this, as well as part of the lands of Geilsland
, a portion of the lands of Crummock and part of the lands of Lyonshields in the barony of Hessilhead
. He built his mansion house at Brae-head House, later known as Crummock Park. His son Hugh inherited in 1809 and another Hugh Brown of Broadstone inherited in 1857.
A memorial at Beith Auld Kirk commemorates the second Hugh Brown of Broadstone (06-04-1787 to 02-01-1857) and his wife Margaret Caldwell (17-08-1783 to 04-06-1845); Hugh Brown Esq is listed as a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Beith gentry in the 1837 Beith Directory.
Marshalland, Craig and Geilsland
houses lie across the nearby Powgree Burn, together with the Spier's Old School Grounds, now a public parkland.
Matthew Montgomerie of Bogston, a covenanter
, was renowned for his strength and athletic prowess and upon being attacked by two of Claverhouse's
Dragoon
s he is recorded as having killed them both at nearby Bankhead Moss. He also escaped upon being apprehended by Dragoons whilst he was attending the church of Beith.
Part of the Giffen Barony, this property was feu
ed out by the Earl of Eglinton
to Robert Montgomerie in 1663. Robert was a collateral descendent of the Montgomeries of Broadstone, said to have had considerable wealth and a man of great local importance through being the Earl of Eglinton's Baron Bailie of the Lordship of Giffen. His heiress daughter married Baron Baillie John Wilson of Kilmarnock, however their son changed his name to Montgomerie, became a merchant in Virginia and returned to die at the age of 95 in 1832 at Crummock House, Beith.
Robert Montgomerie of Bogston's son, also Robert, inherited Craighouse and his grand-daughter married the Rev. John Witherspoon
, onetime minister of Beith and a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence
.
In 1906 a short freight line joined the nearby Barr colliery coal pit with the main line near Giffen station
. In its latter days Bogston was a farm, sitting close to the Bombo Burn with a large area of land next to it recorded on the OS map as 'Bogston Meadow' formed through the canalisation of the burn. Following the creation of the munitions storage facility Bogston was demolished and is now only indicated by a small group of trees.
for the preparation of flax
. This required about four to six days of immersion and the waste retting water, which requires treatment to reduce harmful toxic elements before its release, is rich in chemicals and was used as a liquid fertilizer.
Close to Windyhouse was a deep pool, possibly a collapsed bell pit or limestone quarry, later used to dispose of dead animals, tree stumps, excess soil, etc; it is known as the 'Baney Hole' and is still visible as a wet area in the field. A number of small buildings existed nearby and the foundations of one are in the garden of Windyhouse, whilst another is located in the enclosure formed by hedge bounadries nearby. South Windyhouse Farm, once located next to the Hillhead Railway, no longer exists and no remains are visible.
near Barrmill was one of the last large traditionally operated lime kilns to operate, surviving until the 1970s, however Broadstone has the substantial remains of one of the largest of the early stone built kilns. This must have created considerable pollution in the area, offset only by the employment it created. It sits right next to the limestone quarry which supplied it. The road running past is still known as 'Reek Road'.
The OS maps for 1858 show that the 'Hillhead Railway' ran to the quarry from Barkip Junction on the Ayrshire and Lanarkshire Railway branchline to Kilbirnie. At first sidings and a transfer system existed with a weighing machine at what was to become Brackenhills railway station
, later a direct junction or transfer sidings were laid. The line did not survive into the 20th century and may have been narrow-gauge as indicated by the surviving tunnel / overbridge.
The old Ordnance Survey
maps show that a marble quarry was located nearby, now filled in. The limestone was of such quality that it was worked as marble and was in much demand for chimney pieces.
. The winter of 1895 was exceptionally severe and come spring David Muir and Tom Service found dead with two of her children.
Jean's baby was found alive in the bread oven, for this determined mother was found naked, having fed all her clothes to the fire to keep her baby warm until the last possible moment. She had previously burned all the furniture and the family had so little food that they had even drunk the oil from the lamp.
The old quarry is locally known as Hennis Planting after a worker who died at the site.
The Hennis Planting and Broadstone's industrial archaeology
is in the woodlands near the old lime kiln. The GPS co-ordinates can be found by registering on the Geocaching website, but you will really need a GPS to locate the cache.
Gateside, North Ayrshire
Gateside is a small village in North Ayrshire, Scotland about half a mile east of Beith on the B777.-The village:Gateside Primary School, headteacher Ms Fiona Dunlop, was opened in 1903, and nowadays it has 74 pupils...
in North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
, Scotland about half a mile east of Beith
Beith
Beith is a small town situated in the Garnock Valley in North Ayrshire, Scotland approximately 20-miles south-west of Glasgow. The town is situated on the crest of a hill and was known originally as the "Hill o' Beith" after its Court Hill.-History:-Name:Beith's name is thought to emanate from...
in the old Barony of Giffen
Barony and Castle of Giffen
The Barony of Giffen and its associated 15th-century castle were in the parish of Beith in the former District of Cunninghame, now North Ayrshire. The site may be spelled Giffen or Giffin and lay within the Lordship of Giffin, which included the Baronies of Giffen, Trearne, Hessilhead, Broadstone,...
.
The castle
The ruins of Braidstone or Broadstone Castle (NS 362 531) remained until about 1850. but when Broadstonehall Farm buildings were being rebuilt, the castle was pulled down and its stones used in the building works; the Broadstone Crags, the site of the castle, remain however despite local quarrying. An avenue of trees and the vestiges of a garden had survived until the time of the building of the farm. Its site was pointed out by Mr W Kerr of Broadstonehall in 1855.The Barony mill
Most baronies had a water mill which was under the control of the laird or lord and to which the tenants were thirledThirlage
Thirlage was the term used for the law in regard of the milling of grain for personal or other uses. Vassals in a feudal barony were thirled to their local mill owned by the feudal superior...
or obliged to go to have their grain ground into flour. A proportion of the grain was taken as payment. Thirlage ended in the late 18th century and resulted in a number of mills being abandoned once market forces took a hold. The name 'Crooked Dam' relates to a small dwelling that once existed near the Powgree Burn and the remains of a mill pond site shows that this building was originally the miller's dwelling and the old barony mill once lay below the site of the crooked dam.
The Montgomerys
The Lordship of Giffen, included the Baronies of Giffen, TrearneHessilhead
Hessilhead is in Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Hessilhead used to be called Hazlehead or Hasslehead. The lands were part of the Lordship of Giffen, and the Barony of Hessilhead, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame and the Parish of Beith...
, Hessilhead
Hessilhead
Hessilhead is in Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Hessilhead used to be called Hazlehead or Hasslehead. The lands were part of the Lordship of Giffen, and the Barony of Hessilhead, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame and the Parish of Beith...
, Broadstone, Roughwood and Ramshead.
The Barony of Braidstone (sic) was possessed by John de Lyddale (Liddel), Dominus de Bradestane in 1452. Robert Montgomerie of Braidstone was second son of the 3rd Lord Montgomerie. Sir Hugh Montgomerie (1560–1636) was born here in 1560, son of Adam, 5th Laird of Braidstane. He married the daughter of John Montgomery of Hessilhead
Hessilhead
Hessilhead is in Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Hessilhead used to be called Hazlehead or Hasslehead. The lands were part of the Lordship of Giffen, and the Barony of Hessilhead, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame and the Parish of Beith...
, and before 1568 he purchased lands from Hugh, third Earl of Eglinton. He left a daughter, Janet, who married Troilus, the second son of Adam Montgomery of Giffen
Barony and Castle of Giffen
The Barony of Giffen and its associated 15th-century castle were in the parish of Beith in the former District of Cunninghame, now North Ayrshire. The site may be spelled Giffen or Giffin and lay within the Lordship of Giffin, which included the Baronies of Giffen, Trearne, Hessilhead, Broadstone,...
. Andrew Nevin, inherited the Monkredding estate
Monkredding House, North Ayrshire
Monkredding formed a small estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire lying between Kilwinning and Auchentiber on the B778. The property was originally held by the Tironensian monks of Kilwinning Abbey and was the 'Monk's Garden', the rest home for the brothers. Monkcastle near Dalgarven...
in 1581 and married Janet, daughter of Adam Montgomery, IV laird of Broadstone Castle. Matthew Montgomerie was a resident at Broadstone, but was recorded as living at Bogstone in 1622.
Hugh, first Viscount of the Great-Ardes, granted a mortgage on the lands of Broadstone to his brother-in-law, Sir John Shaw of Greenock in 1650.
The Ulster connection
In 1603 Hugh Montgomery had accompanied King James I and VI on the journey to London to take possession of the English throne and his surviving brother was the Dean of Norwich, becoming one of the court chaplains to King James. These close contacts enabled him to eventually obtain a one third portion of the lands of Con O'Neill, Lord of the Claneboys, in Ulster. He entertained Con O'Neill at Broadstone and helped him to obtain a pardon for an accusation of 'waging war' against Queen Elizabeth I. Mr James Hamilton, son of the minister of DunlopDunlop, East Ayrshire
Dunlop is a village and parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It lies on the A735, north-east of Stewarton, seven miles from Kilmarnock. The road runs on to Lugton and the B706 enters the village from Beith.-The village:...
, later James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye was a Scot who became owner of large tracts of land in County Down, Ireland, and founded a successful Protestant Scots settlement there several years before the Plantation of Ulster...
, also obtained a one third portion of these O'Neill lands.
Hugh Montgomery brought a colony of Irish Protestants over from his Irish estates in 1600 and later a colony of Protestants from the area were taken over to the Ardes and Clandebora areas of Ireland following the putting down of an Irish revolt. Hugh was knighted in by King James in 1605, giving him precedency over his rival James Hamilton, and he was created Viscount Montgomery of the Great Ardes on May 3, 1622; he died on May 25, 1636 aged 76. The Earl of Mount Alexander was his grandson, his title deriving from his descent from the family of Alexander, Earls of Stirling.
Hugh Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery (1560–1636), is known as one of the "founding fathers" of the Ulster-Scots along with James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye
James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye was a Scot who became owner of large tracts of land in County Down, Ireland, and founded a successful Protestant Scots settlement there several years before the Plantation of Ulster...
. Paterson, the historian, records that the 'Laird of Braidstane's Scotch Colony', established in around 1606, was responsible for the introduction of linen weaving and manufacture to the area around Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
in Ireland; he also built mills, the harbour of Donaghadee
Donaghadee
Donaghadee is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about east of Belfast and about six miles south east of Bangor. It had a population of 6,470 people in the 2001 Census...
, and repaired Port Montgomery (now Port Patrick). Some of the family of Hugh Hammil of the nearby lands of Roughwood accompanied Hugh Montgomerie to Ireland and became established there as merchants in the Dublin area.
The Shaws
The Stewarts
In 1827 & 1829 Broadstone Hall was the residence of Sir M. S. Stewart. In 1842 Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, Baronet, retained the farm, together with the superiority of the whole.The Browns
Hill of Beith Castle
The old Barony and castle, fortalice, or tower house of Hill of Beith lay in the feudal Regality of Kilwinning, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame, and the Sherrifdom of Ayr, now the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland.-The Abbots of Kilwinning Abbey:...
. He had purchased part of the Broadstone lands prior to this, as well as part of the lands of Geilsland
Geilsland House
Geilsland House lies in between the village of Gateside and the town of Beith in North Ayrshire, Scotland.- Geilsland House:Geilsland was a half merk land, part of the 4 merk land of Marshalland, in the Barony of Braidstone. An earlier name is said to have been 'Neilsland'. The name is pronounced...
, a portion of the lands of Crummock and part of the lands of Lyonshields in the barony of Hessilhead
Hessilhead
Hessilhead is in Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Hessilhead used to be called Hazlehead or Hasslehead. The lands were part of the Lordship of Giffen, and the Barony of Hessilhead, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame and the Parish of Beith...
. He built his mansion house at Brae-head House, later known as Crummock Park. His son Hugh inherited in 1809 and another Hugh Brown of Broadstone inherited in 1857.
A memorial at Beith Auld Kirk commemorates the second Hugh Brown of Broadstone (06-04-1787 to 02-01-1857) and his wife Margaret Caldwell (17-08-1783 to 04-06-1845); Hugh Brown Esq is listed as a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Beith gentry in the 1837 Beith Directory.
Marshalland, Craig and Geilsland
Geilsland House
Geilsland House lies in between the village of Gateside and the town of Beith in North Ayrshire, Scotland.- Geilsland House:Geilsland was a half merk land, part of the 4 merk land of Marshalland, in the Barony of Braidstone. An earlier name is said to have been 'Neilsland'. The name is pronounced...
houses lie across the nearby Powgree Burn, together with the Spier's Old School Grounds, now a public parkland.
Bogston House and estate
This was a residence of the Montgomerie family and it lay between South Barr, Hayhills and Bogfaulds Farms in what is now DM Beith. Bogston was once a well wooded estate of 100 acre (0.404686 km²), with fine plantings, orchards and gardens. The famous Bogston yew tree, when it fell in 1874, was 38 feet high, with a spread of 50 feet, and a circumference of 9 feet 10 inches. At first Bogston was accessed from near the site of Gatend, a farm named from its position, however later an main entrance was created via the old Bellcraig House off the Barrmill to Beith road. The parish boundary between Beith and Dalry runs close by, partly along the margin of the Bankhead raised bog.Matthew Montgomerie of Bogston, a covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
, was renowned for his strength and athletic prowess and upon being attacked by two of Claverhouse's
John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee
John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee , known as the 7th Laird of Claverhouse until raised to the viscounty in 1688, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, a Tory and an Episcopalian...
Dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s he is recorded as having killed them both at nearby Bankhead Moss. He also escaped upon being apprehended by Dragoons whilst he was attending the church of Beith.
Part of the Giffen Barony, this property was feu
Feu
Feu was previously the most common form of land tenure in Scotland, as conveyancing in Scots law was dominated by feudalism until the Scottish Parliament passed the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. Act 2000...
ed out by the Earl of Eglinton
Earl of Eglinton
Earl of Eglinton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland.Some authorities spell the title: Earl of Eglintoun In 1859 the thirteenth Earl of Eglinton, Archibald Montgomerie, was also created Earl of Winton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords,...
to Robert Montgomerie in 1663. Robert was a collateral descendent of the Montgomeries of Broadstone, said to have had considerable wealth and a man of great local importance through being the Earl of Eglinton's Baron Bailie of the Lordship of Giffen. His heiress daughter married Baron Baillie John Wilson of Kilmarnock, however their son changed his name to Montgomerie, became a merchant in Virginia and returned to die at the age of 95 in 1832 at Crummock House, Beith.
Robert Montgomerie of Bogston's son, also Robert, inherited Craighouse and his grand-daughter married the Rev. John Witherspoon
John Witherspoon
John Witherspoon was a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Jersey. As president of the College of New Jersey , he trained many leaders of the early nation and was the only active clergyman and the only college president to sign the Declaration...
, onetime minister of Beith and a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
.
In 1906 a short freight line joined the nearby Barr colliery coal pit with the main line near Giffen station
Giffen railway station
Giffen railway station was a railway station approximately one mile south-west of the village of Barrmill, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station was part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway.- History :...
. In its latter days Bogston was a farm, sitting close to the Bombo Burn with a large area of land next to it recorded on the OS map as 'Bogston Meadow' formed through the canalisation of the burn. Following the creation of the munitions storage facility Bogston was demolished and is now only indicated by a small group of trees.
Windyhouse Farm
Windyhouse Farm still stands at the junction of the road to Gateside and at one time another road ran past it, serving a number of farms and cottages such as Ward, Scoup, Bogfauld, Birsieknowe and Whitespot, that lay within what is now the MOD Beith base. Windyhouse had a retting pitRetting
Retting is a process employing the action of micro-organisms and moisture on plants to dissolve or rot away much of the cellular tissues and pectins surrounding bast-fibre bundles, and so facilitating separation of the fibre from the stem...
for the preparation of flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
. This required about four to six days of immersion and the waste retting water, which requires treatment to reduce harmful toxic elements before its release, is rich in chemicals and was used as a liquid fertilizer.
Close to Windyhouse was a deep pool, possibly a collapsed bell pit or limestone quarry, later used to dispose of dead animals, tree stumps, excess soil, etc; it is known as the 'Baney Hole' and is still visible as a wet area in the field. A number of small buildings existed nearby and the foundations of one are in the garden of Windyhouse, whilst another is located in the enclosure formed by hedge bounadries nearby. South Windyhouse Farm, once located next to the Hillhead Railway, no longer exists and no remains are visible.
Quarrying, lime kilns and railways
Because of the underlying geology of this part of Ayrshire the presence of the many limestone quarries is to be expected. Lime kilns to produce lime for improving the soil, were a common feature of the countryside before the process became fully industrialised. NettlehirstNettlehirst
Nettlehirst was a small mansion house and estate in the Parish of Beith, near Barrmill in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The house was built in 1844 and burned down in 1932.-Nettlehirst House and estate:...
near Barrmill was one of the last large traditionally operated lime kilns to operate, surviving until the 1970s, however Broadstone has the substantial remains of one of the largest of the early stone built kilns. This must have created considerable pollution in the area, offset only by the employment it created. It sits right next to the limestone quarry which supplied it. The road running past is still known as 'Reek Road'.
The OS maps for 1858 show that the 'Hillhead Railway' ran to the quarry from Barkip Junction on the Ayrshire and Lanarkshire Railway branchline to Kilbirnie. At first sidings and a transfer system existed with a weighing machine at what was to become Brackenhills railway station
Brackenhills railway station
Brackenhills railway station was a railway station approximately one mile south-west of the town of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland, part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway.- History :...
, later a direct junction or transfer sidings were laid. The line did not survive into the 20th century and may have been narrow-gauge as indicated by the surviving tunnel / overbridge.
The old Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps show that a marble quarry was located nearby, now filled in. The limestone was of such quality that it was worked as marble and was in much demand for chimney pieces.
Jean Deer
In Service's semi-fictional novel Jean Deer's husband worked at Broadstone Quarry in the late 19th century and died there following an accident of an unrecorded nature. She was forced to leave her Broadstone home, with her two young children and her baby, as it was required for another working man and his family. Jean took refuge in a ruinous cottage on the moors near AuchenmadeAuchentiber
The hamlet of Auchentiber is in North Ayrshire, Parish of Kilwinning, Scotland. Auchentiber is NE of Kilwinning on the Lochlibo Road, from the hamlet of Burnhouse and from the village of Barrmill. Grid Ref. NS3647. Some new housing has been built, but the settlement is still very much a hamlet...
. The winter of 1895 was exceptionally severe and come spring David Muir and Tom Service found dead with two of her children.
Jean's baby was found alive in the bread oven, for this determined mother was found naked, having fed all her clothes to the fire to keep her baby warm until the last possible moment. She had previously burned all the furniture and the family had so little food that they had even drunk the oil from the lamp.
The old quarry is locally known as Hennis Planting after a worker who died at the site.
The Hennis Planting and Broadstone's industrial archaeology
The Broadstone Geocache
Geocaching is a popular new 'sport' which involves searching for 'hidden' caches of 'swaps' and a log book. The 'Broadstone Kiln' geocacheGeocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world....
is in the woodlands near the old lime kiln. The GPS co-ordinates can be found by registering on the Geocaching website, but you will really need a GPS to locate the cache.