Solva

Ben Robinson discovers the impressive lime kilns in Solva, Wales. This picturesque 19th-century port is famous for producing quicklime, a vital ingredient in both agriculture and the building industry.

The kilns here are well preserved and contributed to making the soil in farmers’ fields more alkaline, which helped to increase crop yield at a time when the nation’s population was growing. It's a pretty spot now, but Ben learns how this industry would have made life tough for the locals.