Building Stones and Quarries

5

Building stones and quarries

A map entitled Building Stone Resources of the United Kingdom, published in 2001, was produced by the British Geological Survey jointly with English Heritage, Historic Scotland, CADW (Welsh Historic Monuments) and the Stone Federation of Great Britain. It is to a scale of 1:1,000,000 on the National Grid. The stated prime purpose is that for new work, stone similar to that used already in the locality can be selected or, for repair work, stone reasonably closely matching the appearance of the old but, if necessary, possessing superior characteristics can be chosen.

The map is modestly priced for a hard or digital copy, or for those only requiring an occasional look, it can also be accessed online at www.bgs.ac.uk/data/maps/maps.cfc?method=viewRecord&mapId=12088. The map shows the location of the larger quarries in the UK that have achieved some commercial or historic status as building stone producers, even if only on a local scale. The surprisingly large number of quarry locations is said to comprise only a small proportion of the thousands that were worked. However, the map does show all those working in 2001 and a wide selection of those that provided stone in the past, giving their names in different styles and indicating the type of stone using contrasting colours in small circles.

As a starting point, the map contains a wealth of fascinating information, but regrettably it gives no information on the colour, characteristics or appropriateness for use in various circumstances of any of the stones from the quarries indicated, apart from some panels of general description and some photographs of buildings constructed of different types of stone. Providing this information for all the stones indicated on the map would be eminently sensible and useful for identification purposes.

The following table, however, extends the information on the map in just such a way for colour and characteristics in respect of around 150 of some of the better-known building stones; these are set out by old (pre 1980s) counties from north to south with the unitary authority quoted under the location if different. In addition, the use of a particular stone in one or two buildings is sometimes given. Inevitably, these buildings tend to be large and well known; not all of them are dwellings but, if visited, they will provide the surveyor with an idea of how the stone looks after weathering over time. This, of course, can be somewhat different from the colour given in the table which, obviously, has to be as quarried since the degree and effect of weathering and pollution will vary considerably.

To give an example of how the table and the Building Stone Resources of the United Kingdom map might be used, photograph 154 (in Chapter 9 of the book) shows a terrace of two-storey houses a little over 100 years old in a northern town, two of which have been cleaned in contrast to a third, on the right, still with its sooty, weathered appearance. The table lists a quarry within a few miles where the stone is described as white to brown, a sandstone of medium to coarse texture, and durable. Colour, description and evident durability, even on the stonework not cleaned, match well, so there could be a reasonable assumption that the named stone is the one in the frame. However, the map shows two other quarries nearby, so the reasonable assumption would have to remain just that until other available local knowledge is given consideration to see whether the stone from those other quarries can be eliminated, maybe on grounds of colour, texture or known lack of durability.

One or two aspects of the table need mentioning:

·  The vast majority of building stones in the UK are quarried, but a few, such as a number of the ‘Bath’ stones, are, or were, mined along with Beer, Purbeck, Collyweston and a few others.

·  ‘Freestone’ is not just a stone there to be picked up from the ground as might be thought, but identifies a stone which can be easily worked in any direction, being compact and fine-grained and with no well-defined bedding plane; examples are Red Corsehill, Lochabriggs and Woolton.

·  Locations of use for a few stones have been taken from various books and pamphlets – a feature that could be supplemented by surveyors from their own local city and town guides. In particular, the 1999 publication Building Stones of Edinburgh by the city’s Geological Society provided much information of the type useful for this purpose and could well be emulated elsewhere. As to availability, though in many cases quarries open and close intermittently according to demand, the information shown was checked against the 2001 British Geological Survey map of Building Stone Resources of the United Kingdom.

·  There is an absence of information about some stones, but the inclusion of a quarry address, even approximate, may mean that local information is to hand.

iResource – Building stones and quarries

5

A selection of building stones of the United Kingdom by old (pre 1980s) county from north to south
County (old) / Location of quarry/mine / Name and colour / Type, characteristics and locations of use / Available (Yes/No)
Moray / Clasbach Quarry, Hopeman, Moray. / Clasbach.
Yellow to buff. / Sandstone. Even-grained.
Museum of Scotland (extension), Chambers Street (1998); Scottish Widows, Morison Street (1997); refacing of Paton Building, 1–3 York Place (1998); 202–254 Canongate (1958–1966); Chessels Court Canongate, (1969) (all in Edinburgh). / Yes
Hopeman, Moray. / Greenbrae.
Fawn. / Sandstone. Even-grained. / No
Spynie Quarry, NE of Elgin, Moray. / Spynie.
Yellowish grey, cream or pinkish. / Sandstone. Fine-grained.
Mouldings at 83–89 Great King Street (1982) and 39 Howe Street, Edinburgh. / Yes
Cutties Hillock (Quarry Wood), Elgin, Moray. / Cutties Hillock. / Sandstone. / Yes
Rosebrae Quarry, Elgin, Moray. / Rosebrae.
Cream or pinkish. / Sandstone. Fine-grained. / No
Aberdeen / Boddam, South of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. / Peterhead.
Grey through to brilliant red. / Granite. Coarse-grained.
Old Waverley Hotel, Princes Street, columns around windows (1883); Palmerston Place Church, pink arches and columns internally (1873) (both in Edinburgh); Prudential Assurance, Ramsden and New Streets, below terracotta; Royal Bank of Scotland, columns; Market Square, ‘Nawaab’ restaurant; Westgate, pink (all in Huddersfield). / No
Kemnay, NW of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. / Kemnay.
Light speckled silvery grey. / Granite. Medium-grained.
Marischal College, Aberdeen. / Yes
Quarries in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. / Rubislaw and Lower Persley.
Light to dark bluish grey. / Granite. Fine- to medium-grained, coarsely crystalline. Extremely durable.
Royal Bank of Scotland, 42 St Andrew Square, grey granite base (1936). Most of the notable buildings of Aberdeen and much exported. / No
Alford, E of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. / Corennie.
Light to dark salmon pink. Also grey. / Granite. Coarse- and medium-grained. Blocks can sometimes be half and half the two colours.
Lloyds TSB, The Cross, Worcester, columns. / Yes
Bucksburn, suburb of Aberdeen. / Sclattie.
Light bluish grey. / Granite. Medium-grained. / No
Quarry near Aberdeen. / Dancing Cairns.
Light grey. / Granite. Medium-grained. / No
Dyce, NW of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. / Dyce.
Dark grey. / Granite. Fine-grained. / No
Note: the above three stones are not recorded on the BGS map, but all are said to have been used for general building work in the 1930s.
Argyll / Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute. / Ross of Mull.
Pale to deep red. / Granite. Coarse, fairly even-grained.
Trustee Savings Bank, 120–124 George Street, pink paving in the entrance hall and atrium (1986), Edinburgh. / Yes
Fife / Between Kirkcaldy and Burntisland, Fife. / Newbigging.
White, cream. / Sandstone. Fine-grained freestone.
National Library of Scotland, 33 Salisbury Place (1984) to buff Causewayside Building, Edinburgh. Also used in Glasgow and Dundee. / Yes
Midlothian / West Edinburgh, Edinburgh. / Craigleith.
Whitish grey to brown. / Sandstone. Fine-grained, good for ashlar. Hard and durable.
Good examples: City Chambers, High Street (1761); Register House, Princes Street (1778); 8 Queen Street (1771); Leith Town Hall, Constitution Street (1827); north side of Charlotte Square (1794) (all Edinburgh). Exported to England, USA and Europe. Fully worked by about 1900. / No
Quarries at Binny, Uphall, West Lothian. / Binny.
Orange-brown. / Sandstone. Fine-grained freestone. Good for ashlar, but traces of oil.
Good examples: Royal Scottish Academy (1831); Scott Monument (1840); National gallery (1850); Bank of Scotland (1802); City Observatory, Calton Hill (1818) (all Edinburgh). / No
Slateford, SW of Edinburgh, Edinburgh. / Hailes.
Available in three tints: white – fine-grained; hard, blue – medium-grained but marked lamination; and pink with intermediate properties. / Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained. Very hard. Used largely in rubble form throughout Edinburgh and surrounding area since about 1700. Good weathering properties.
Examples: Blue – Royal Infirmary, Lauriston Place (1872); Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, Castlehill, Royal Mile (1896); Dalry and Sciennes Primary Schools, Dalry and Sciennes Roads (1876 and 1889). Pink – Coates Crescent, front (1820); 1 Cluny Gardens, (1880); Roseburn Primary School, Roseburn Street (1843) ashlar (all Edinburgh). Some exported to London. / No
Lanark / High Blantyre, NW of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. / Earnock.
White and grey. / Sandstone. Good working, very hard and durable. / No
Cleland, between Airdie and Wishaw, North Lanarkshire. / Auchinlea.
White, yellowish to cream. Often flecked with brown. / Sandstone. Medium-grained freestone.
Roseburn Terrace (1882); tenements at South Buchanan Street (1878); villas at South Buchanan Street (1878); villas at Trinity (1883) (all Edinburgh). / No
Dumfries / Gatelawbridge, Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway. / Gatelawbridge.
Bright red. / Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained. Jenners Store, Rose Street (1890 and 1902); Saltire Court, Castle Terrace (1991), with buff sandstone from Stainton, Barnard Castle, County Durham; Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre, 85 George Street (1980s) (all Edinburgh). Much used also in Glasgow. / Yes
Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway. / Closeburn.
Light to dark red / Sandstone. Fine-grained. Good for working.
King’s Theatre, Tollcross (1904) (repaired with Corsehill 1980s); Candlish Church Tower, Merchiston (1915) (both Edinburgh). / No
Cornockle Quarry, N of Lochmaden.
Dumfries and Galloway. / Cornockle.
Red. / Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, Royal Mile (1888); Leith Academy, Lochend Road Annex (1885); Royal Bank of Scotland, Nicholson Street (1902); Milton House School, Canongate (1886) (all Edinburgh). / Yes
Lochabriggs, NE of Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway. / Lochabriggs.
Pink to red. / Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained. Free working. Fairly durable.
Caledonian Hotel (1899); Lauriston Place Fire Station (1897); College of Art (1906) and Extension (1972) (all Edinburgh). / Yes
Annan, SE of Dumfries,
Dumfries and Galloway. / Corsehill.
Pastel pink to warm red. / Sandstone. Close-grained, good working. Durable.
70 Princes Street (upper part) (1886); Roseburn Primary School, Roseburn Street (1893), dressings with ‘pink’ and grey Hailes; St James Episcopal Church, Inverleith Row (1885); Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Sciennes Road (1892) (all Edinburgh). St Helen’s Church, Fish Street, Worcester, porch. / Yes
Kirkudbright / Creetown, Dumfries and Galloway. / Creetown.
White when hammered. Bluish white when polished. / Granite. Fine-grained.
National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, grey base (1937–1955); St. Andrew’s House, Calton Hill, base course (1936) (both Edinburgh). / Yes
Northumberland / Elsdon, NW of Newcastle, Northumberland. / Blaxter.
Buff / Sandstone. Medium-grained.
Burton, 30–31 Princes Street (1906); Arden Street, Marchmont, houses (1905); National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge (1937–1955); Sun Alliance, 68 George Street (1955); Royal Museum of Scotland, Lecture Theatre, Lothian Street (1958) (all Edinburgh). / Yes
Wooler, S of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. / Doddington.
Pink to purple-grey. / Sandstone. Fine-grained.
Methodist Central Hall, Tollcross (1899); General Post Office Extension (1908); George Watson’s College, Colinton Road (1930) (all Edinburgh). / Yes
Heddon on the Wall, W of Newcastle, Northumberland. / Heddon.
Light brown. / Sandstone. Medium-grained. Good for general building purposes. / No
Fourstones, Hexham, Northumberland. / Prudham.
Brown. / Sandstone. Coarse-grained.
Newcastle Central Station (1846). McEwan Hall, Teviot Place (1888); Crown Office, Chambers Street (1886); Balmoral Hotel, Princes Street (1902); Tenements, Marchmont (1876); St Andrews Square, Bus Station (1970) (all Edinburgh). / No
Cumberland / Moat, NE of Longtown, Cumbria. / Moat.
Bright red. / Sandstone. Fine-grained but weathers badly.
Couper Street School (1889); National Portrait Gallery (1885) (both Edinburgh). / No
Penrith, Cumbria. / Penrith Red.
Deep rust, bright red, pink to buff. / Sandstone. Moderately coarse-grained. Plain details fare better.
All the older part of Penrith and throughout the neighbourhood. / Yes
St Bees, S of Whitehaven, Cumbria. / St Bees.
Pink to bright red. / Sandstone. Fine-grained. Good working properties. Very durable.
Furness Abbey. / Yes
Three quarries working NE of Penrith, Cumbria. / Lazonby.
‘Red’ – light terracotta; ‘White’ – light yellowish pink. / Sandstone. Medium- to coarse-grained. Difficult to work. / Yes
Cumberland/ Westmorland / Various quarries listed as working: e.g. Kirkstone Green, Elterwater Green, Broughton Moor, plus others, Cumbria. / ‘Westmorland’.
Green. / Slate. For both roofing and cladding.
Natural History Museum, London roofing slates, alternating with Burlington Blue Grey slates. Nat. West Bank, New Street, Huddersfield, panels below windows. / Yes
Westmorland / Shap, Cumbria. / Light and dark shap.
Greyish pink to dark brown. / Granite. Medium-grained with characteristic large crystals of pink feldspar with black mica and quartz.
Entrance to Post Office, St Aldates, Oxford (1879). Eddisons Estate Agents, Huddersfield, with local sandstone and Rubislaw grey granite from Aberdeen. St. Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, portico columns (1917). / Yes
Ulverston / Kirkby-in-Furness, Cumbria. / Burlington Blue
Grey. Blue through to black. / Slate. For both roofing and cladding.
BHS, Eastgate, Gloucester, panels. Natural History Museum, London, roofing slates, alternating with Westmorland green slates. / Yes
County Durham / Springwell, Gateshead. / Springwell.
Yellow. / Sandstone. Medium-grained. Fairly easy to work. Durable.
Apex House, Leith Walk (1975); 8–11 Royal Crescent, restoration (1979) (both Edinburgh). / Yes
Winston between Darlington and Barnard Castle, Durham. / Dunhouse. / Sandstone. Fine-grained. Durable. Egglestone Abbey, Bowes Museum. M&S, 104 Princes Street (1980), Exchange Plaza, Lothian Road (1997), 1-8 Atholl Crescent, repairs (1985), Edinburgh. / Yes