TJC Heritage Ltd undertook a programme of historic building recording and archaeological monitoring prior to, and during a restoration of Pikehall Limekiln, funded by the Farming in Protected Landscapes grant scheme. The programme of work included desk-based and archival research, archaeological building recording, and an archaeological watching brief during the restoration works. A historic building record of the kiln was made following completion of the restoration. The results of the archaeological monitoring were the discovery and recording of further structural features within the kiln frontage which had been covered over by later accumulated material following abandonment of the kiln. Primarily this related to the discovery of a front wall which sealed off the archway, with a door at one end and flue for the kiln and a rear wall which separated the firing pot of the kiln from the arched chamber in front. Within this chamber a further structural feature was identified - this being a small nook set into one of the retaining walls of the kiln. Little material culture was recovered from the excavation though the remains of a door were recovered from the doorway at the south end of the front wall and have been subsequently recorded. The archaeological deposits recorded here show that following the last firing of the kiln, it appears to have gone through a lengthy abandonment during which time a topsoil deposit began to form below the kiln arch. This appears to have then been covered over by large amounts of rubble and soil suggesting the kiln was likely deliberately infilled and partially demolished.
Pougher et al. (Wed,) studied this question.