Located in Charlestown, Fife, the Scottish Lime Centre provides an insight into the lime heritage of Charlestown. In its heyday, between the middle of the 18th century and the 1930s, Charlestown produced over one third of the lime in Scotland for use in building, agriculture and industry. Limestone quarries were developed on the estates of the Earl of Elgin, along with associated lime-kilns, a harbour to export the resulting product and the planned village of Charlestown to accommodate workers.
Founded in 1994, in response to concerns over the shortage of skills and understanding of traditional building methods, the Lime Centre also provides a training, research, consultancy and analysis service for building projects throughout Scotland and beyond. The centre gives specialist advice on the use of lime-based materials for the conservation and appropriate repair of historic buildings and has provided advice to thousands of projects, including the Great Hall of Stirling Castle, Newhailes, Queensberry House in Edinburgh and Dymock's Building in Bo'ness.