Fladdabister lime kilns

The small round buildings at Fladdabister were used to produce quick lime during the 19th and 20th centuries. Alternate layers of limestone and peat were placed in these kilns and roasted in a fire for a couple of days. The heat-shattered rocks were then raked out and water was poured onto the hot rubble to slake it. Slaked lime is used for binding stonework and improving the fertility of acidic soils. It is highly corrosive so working the kilns was a hazardous occupation. ?Two types of lime kiln were used in Shetland. Most were circular with one or more flues like at Fladdabister. They were built by crofters for local use, although they sometimes sold the lime produced. These kilns provided lime for building works in Lerwick. Industrial lime kilns can be found at Girlsta and Laxfirth. The limestone formed about 580 million years ago from sediments laid down in a shallow sea. It is made of calcium carbonate from the shells of tiny creatures that accumulated on the seabed. The sediments were later metamorphosed to become calcite marble. This kind of rock supports rich grassland at Fladdabister and underlies the fertile valleys of Tingwall and Weisdale in Central Mainland.