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Charlestown Tunnel

Charlestown, Limekilns, Dunfermline, Fife.

Tunnel, 18th Century.

"long-abandoned tramway tunnel which would have played a part in transporting the limestone from the mine down to the kilns for processing. Both portals are mostly filled in, and the interior of the bore is partially filled in as well, so it's tricky to find and a bit of a confined space once you do get inside. But it does look to be in amazingly good condition, especially considering that it's likely to be one of the oldest tunnels in Scotland." [GCat].

"This short tunnel (it looks longer because the northern portal has been backfilled) runs for what seems to be about 30 or 40 yards as part of an abandoned tramway which links the Charlestown lime mines with it's substantial limekiln.

Due to the tunnel being backfilled from both ends, it's not especially tall, meaning that I was crouching a little throughout my time down here, however, it does get a little better as you walk further up. The tunnel is also on a very distinctive gradient...

The tunnel looks to be of a similar design and profile to the Forthar Tunnel, which was also a tramway as opposed to a railway. I'm not sure when the tunnel was built but the limekilns were built in the 1750's so I'd imagine this tunnel came to be around a similar time, making it a marvel that it's still up and in good condition." [Flickr caption]

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: Tunnel marked on 1st Ed. OS maps.

Information board for the nearby limekilns states that the kilns were at least partly built into the sea cliff.