Return to the mummies’ caves: new £63K project at Dodnor

Heritage Lottery funds £63,800 project on Newport’s industrial heritage

The Natural Enterprise will be delivering a new project worth over £63000 after securing grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Vestas Technology UK. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players and donated by the local wind turbine technology firm, the project aims to conserve and enhance the historic cement kilns at Dodnor known as the Mummies’ Caves, and improve the nature reserve at Dodnor Creek.

We want your help! We’re looking for volunteers to work with us throughout 2018. If you’re interested in any of these things, get in touch!

• Practical conservation work in the nature reserve
• Working with professional archaeologists to help record and investigate the historic kilns
• Looking into the old records of the site

Staff from Vestas will also be giving their time to help work on the project, which will be delivered throughout 2018. The project will help people enjoy and access the nature reserve and the rich industrial heritage of the area, and especially to explore and record the delicate kiln structures, dating back to Victorian days, which were once a key part of the Isle of Wight’s industrial economy. There is an extraordinary tale to tell about mills, cement, renewable power, and nature.

For specialist help, graduates from Island Roads will be giving their time to help with the engineering challenges of inspecting these old kilns and checking their condition.

Island 2000 CEO Graham Biss said “Cement is more interesting than you think! Our development phase has inspired local people and businesses who want to be part of this project to learn new skills, preserve heritage and tell their story. Alongside the kilns in our Gift to Nature reserve at Dodnor Creek we will improve access, and work to protect the wonderful wildlife of this special site.”