Back to 2011 with Prince Michael at lime kilns
In 2011, Prince Michael opened the lime kilns at Amberley Museum on a sunny day in May. Our photographer Derek Martin captured the scene and the royal seal of approval was emphasised when Prince Michael shovelled a mixture of chalk and coal into the kiln top. The prince then paid tribute to the hard work of volunteers and said he always enjoyed visiting the museum.
The Belgian-designed De Witt kilns were built in 1905 by Hippolyte De Witt to burn chalk with coal to create lime.
Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, the design was not successful and the kilns failed to work efficiently in the quarry at Amberley, so by 1910, all but two kilns had been converted to traditional English bottle kilns.
Despite their condition, the kilns remained an important part of the history of lime burning at Amberley but over the years, the heat inside caused them to distort, making them structurally unsafe.
There was a real danger they would disappear completely until an award from English Heritage allowed the museum to start to restore the kilns. Then £400,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund paid for improved public access and a new exhibition.