Cement and lime Industry – Due to the abundance of Cement chalk in the Medway Valleys lime burning has been a thriving albeit initially a small industry in  Halling for several centuries.  

 

Tithe map of 1840 indicates  some workings in Turks Hall.  In 1844 S. Lewis states that ‘ at Halling chalk abounds and the works for burning it into lime provide the chief occupation of its inhabitants’.  By 1832  three main lime works were situated in Halling i.e. in Whornes Place, North Halling, another in the area just below Halling Church and a third situated near the Snodland border. The chalk for these works was supplied from two pits on the hill to the West.  These works were purchased in 1846 by William Lee, a lime burner from Burham and the then owner of Holborough Court.  In 1854 Lee began making Portland cement in addition to producing lime. (ALM 54-).

 

Even pre 1850 and the building of the railway, the Lower Medway Valley supported a buoyant brick and  chalk industry.  These products   were transported on by barges on the River Medway.  By the early part of  19th century lime burning was the chief occupation of Halling,  in 1831 for example above 40 labourers were employed in its Chalk pits.  Limestone (chalk) was used in many ways, in block form for building, as lime for mortar or plaster  and as an agricultural fertilizer. (IM 54 -56)

 

1850 to 1900 saw an increase in the indusrialisation of the Lower Medway valley with the arrival of Portland Cement.  Halling population rose from 550 in 1851 to 2, 454 in 1901. (IM 54)

 

Disused chalk Pits abound in the Upper Halling area,  ‘White Pit’ to the North of Upper Halling, ‘Grey Pit’ (now the Blue Lake by the defunct Rugby Cement Works).  ‘North Pit and Bottom Pit’ bounded by Vicarage road and the Street, ‘Houlder Quarry’ which destroyed Lords Cross lane (which used to lead down to Halling) and the  South Hill pit below South Hill.

 

References - A.L.M.  Across the Low Meadow

                       I.M.      Industrial Medway