1
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
iResource – Building stones and quarries
2
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
iResource – Building stones and quarries
3
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
4
A selection of building stones of the United Kingdom by old (pre 1980s) county from north to south
County (old)
Location of
Name and colour
quarry/mine
Moray
Type, characteristics and locations of
Available
use
(Yes/No)
Yes
Clasbach Quarry,
Clasbach.
Sandstone. Even-grained.
Hopeman, Moray.
Yellow to buff.
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).
Hopeman, Moray.
Greenbrae.
Sandstone. Even-grained.
No
Yes
Fawn.
Spynie Quarry, NE of
Spynie.
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
Elgin, Moray.
Yellowish grey, cream or
Mouldings at 83–89 Great King Street
pinkish.
(1982) and 39 Howe Street, Edinburgh.
Cutties Hillock.
Sandstone.
Yes
Rosebrae.
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
No
Cutties Hillock (Quarry
Wood), Elgin, Moray.
Rosebrae Quarry,
iResource – Building stones and quarries
5
Aberdeen
Elgin, Moray.
Cream or pinkish.
Boddam, South of
Peterhead.
Granite. Coarse-grained.
Peterhead,
Grey through to brilliant red.
Old Waverley Hotel, Princes Street,
Aberdeenshire.
No
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).
Kemnay, NW of
Kemnay.
Granite. Medium-grained.
Aberdeen,
Light speckled silvery grey.
Marischal College, Aberdeen.
Quarries in Aberdeen,
Rubislaw and Lower Persley.
Granite. Fine- to medium-grained,
Aberdeenshire.
Light to dark bluish grey.
coarsely crystalline. Extremely durable.
Yes
Aberdeenshire.
Royal Bank of Scotland, 42 St Andrew
Square, grey granite base (1936). Most
of the notable buildings of Aberdeen
and much exported.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
6
Alford, E of Aberdeen,
Corennie.
Aberdeenshire.
Light to dark salmon pink. Also Blocks can sometimes be half and half
grey.
Granite. Coarse- and medium-grained.
Yes
the two colours.
Lloyds TSB, The Cross, Worcester,
columns.
Bucksburn, suburb of
Sclattie.
Aberdeen.
Light bluish grey.
Quarry near
Dancing Cairns.
Aberdeen.
Light grey.
Dyce, NW of
Dyce.
Aberdeen,
Dark grey.
Granite. Medium-grained.
No
Granite. Medium-grained.
No
Granite. Fine-grained.
No
Aberdeenshire.
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
Ross of Mull.
Granite. Coarse, fairly even-grained.
Bute.
Pale to deep red.
Trustee Savings Bank, 120–124 George
Yes
Street, pink paving in the entrance hall
and atrium (1986), Edinburgh.
Fife
Between Kirkcaldy and Newbigging.
Sandstone. Fine-grained freestone.
Burntisland, Fife.
National Library of Scotland, 33
White, cream.
Salisbury Place (1984) to buff
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
7
Causewayside Building, Edinburgh. Also
used in Glasgow and Dundee.
Midlothian
West Edinburgh,
Craigleith.
Sandstone. Fine-grained, good for
Edinburgh.
Whitish grey to brown.
ashlar. Hard and durable.
No
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.
Quarries at Binny,
Binny.
Sandstone. Fine-grained freestone.
Uphall, West Lothian.
Orange-brown.
Good for ashlar, but traces of oil.
No
Good examples: Royal Scottish Academy
(1831); Scott Monument (1840);
National gallery (1850); Bank of Scotland
(1802); City Observatory, Calton Hill
(1818) (all Edinburgh).
Slateford, SW of
Hailes.
Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Edinburgh, Edinburgh.
Available in three tints: white
Very hard. Used largely in rubble form
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
8
– fine-grained; hard, blue –
throughout Edinburgh and surrounding
medium-grained but marked
area since about 1700. Good weathering
lamination; and pink with
properties.
intermediate 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.
Lanark
High Blantyre, NW of
Earnock.
Sandstone. Good working, very hard and No
Hamilton, South
White and grey.
durable.
Cleland, between
Auchinlea.
Sandstone. Medium-grained freestone.
Airdie and Wishaw,
White, yellowish to cream.
Roseburn Terrace (1882); tenements at
North Lanarkshire.
Often flecked with brown.
South Buchanan Street (1878); villas at
Lanarkshire.
South Buchanan Street (1878); villas at
Trinity (1883) (all Edinburgh).
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
9
Dumfries
Gatelawbridge,
Gatelawbridge.
Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Thornhill, Dumfries
Bright red.
Jenners Store, Rose Street (1890 and
and Galloway.
Yes
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.
Thornhill, Dumfries
Closeburn.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Good for
and Galloway.
Light to dark red
working.
No
King’s Theatre, Tollcross (1904)
(repaired with Corsehill 1980s); Candlish
Church Tower, Merchiston (1915) (both
Edinburgh).
Cornockle Quarry, N of Cornockle.
Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Lochmaden.
Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, Royal
Red.
Dumfries and
Mile (1888); Leith Academy, Lochend
Galloway.
Road Annex (1885); Royal Bank of
Scotland, Nicholson Street (1902);
Milton House School, Canongate (1886)
(all Edinburgh).
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
10
Lochabriggs, NE of
Lochabriggs.
Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Dumfries, Dumfries
Pink to red.
Free working. Fairly durable.
and Galloway.
Yes
Caledonian Hotel (1899); Lauriston Place
Fire Station (1897); College of Art (1906)
and Extension (1972) (all Edinburgh).
Annan, SE of Dumfries, Corsehill.
Sandstone. Close-grained, good
Dumfries and
working. Durable.
Pastel pink to warm red.
Galloway.
Yes
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.
Kirkudbright
Creetown, Dumfries
Creetown.
Granite. Fine-grained.
and Galloway.
White when hammered.
National Library of Scotland, George IV
Bluish white when polished.
Bridge, grey base (1937–1955); St.
Yes
Andrew’s House, Calton Hill, base
course (1936) (both Edinburgh).
Northumberland
Elsdon, NW of
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Blaxter.
Sandstone. Medium-grained.
Yes
11
Newcastle,
Buff
Northumberland.
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).
Wooler, S of Berwick-
Doddington.
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
upon-Tweed,
Pink to purple-grey.
Methodist Central Hall, Tollcross (1899);
Northumberland.
Yes
General Post Office Extension (1908);
George Watson’s College, Colinton Road
(1930) (all Edinburgh).
Heddon on the Wall,
Heddon.
Sandstone. Medium-grained. Good for
W of Newcastle,
Light brown.
general building purposes.
Fourstones, Hexham,
Prudham.
Sandstone. Coarse-grained.
Northumberland.
Brown.
Newcastle Central Station (1846).
No
Northumberland.
McEwan Hall, Teviot Place (1888);
Crown Office, Chambers Street (1886);
Balmoral Hotel, Princes Street (1902);
Tenements, Marchmont (1876); St
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
12
Andrews Square, Bus Station (1970) (all
Edinburgh).
Cumberland
Moat, NE of
Moat.
Sandstone. Fine-grained but weathers
Longtown, Cumbria.
Bright red.
badly.
No
Couper Street School (1889); National
Portrait Gallery (1885) (both Edinburgh).
Penrith, Cumbria.
Penrith Red.
Sandstone. Moderately coarse-grained.
Deep rust, bright red, pink to
Plain details fare better.
buff.
All the older part of Penrith and
Yes
throughout the neighbourhood.
St Bees, S of
St Bees.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Good working
Whitehaven, Cumbria.
Pink to bright red.
properties. Very durable.
Yes
Furness Abbey.
Three quarries
Lazonby.
Sandstone. Medium- to coarse-grained.
working NE of Penrith,
‘Red’ – light terracotta;
Difficult to work.
Cumbria.
‘White’ – light yellowish pink.
Cumberland/
Various quarries listed
‘Westmorland’.
Slate. For both roofing and cladding.
Westmorland
as working: e.g.
Green.
Natural History Museum, London
Kirkstone Green,
roofing slates, alternating with
Elterwater Green,
Burlington Blue Grey slates. Nat. West
Broughton Moor, plus
Bank, New Street, Huddersfield, panels
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
Yes
13
others, Cumbria.
Westmorland
Shap, Cumbria.
below windows.
Light and dark shap.
Granite. Medium-grained with
Greyish pink to dark brown.
characteristic large crystals of pink
Yes
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).
Ulverston
Kirkby-in-Furness,
Burlington Blue
Slate. For both roofing and cladding.
Cumbria.
Grey. Blue through to black.
BHS, Eastgate, Gloucester, panels.
Yes
Natural History Museum, London,
roofing slates, alternating with
Westmorland green slates.
County Durham
Springwell, Gateshead. Springwell.
Yellow.
Sandstone. Medium-grained. Fairly easy
Yes
to work. Durable.
Apex House, Leith Walk (1975); 8–11
Royal Crescent, restoration (1979) (both
Edinburgh).
Winston between
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Dunhouse.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Durable.
Yes
14
Darlington and
Egglestone Abbey, Bowes Museum.
Barnard Castle,
M&S, 104 Princes Street (1980),
Durham.
Exchange Plaza, Lothian Road (1997), 18 Atholl Crescent, repairs (1985),
Edinburgh.
Stainton near Barnard
Stainton.
Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Castle, Durham.
Buff.
Saltire Court, Castle Terrace (1991);
Yes
Standard Life, Lothian Road (1997);
Sainsburys, Queensferry Road, (1993);
John Lewis, Leith Walk, extension
cladding (all Edinburgh).
Lancashire
Hewworthburn, South
Hewworthburn.
Sandstone. Fine-grained but not easy to
Tynside.
Bluish grey.
work. Very hard and durable.
Near Blackburn,
Butler Delph.
Sandstone. Coarse-grained, very hard
Blackburn and
Buff
and durable.
Farnworth, near
Edgefold.
Sandstone. Fine-grained, easily worked.
Bolton, Bolton.
White to biscuit.
Very durable.
No
No
Darwen.
Rainhill, E of Liverpool, Rainhill.
Knowsley.
Red to orange.
Appley Bridge, NW of
Appley Bridge.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
No
Sandstone. Fine texture, fairly easy to
No
15
Wigan, Wigan.
Blue.
work, very hard and durable.
Much of Oldham, Rochdale, Colne and
Wigan.
Yorkshire
Woolton, SE of
Woolton.
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
Liverpool, Liverpool.
Red to orange.
Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool.
Aislaby. SW of Whitby,
Aislaby.
Sandstone. Fine texture.
North Yorkshire.
Light brown.
Whitby Abbey; Guisborough Priory;
No
No
Houghton Hall in Norfolk.
Wass, E of Thirsk,
Wass.
North Yorkshire.
Limestone. Fine texture.
No
Byland Abbey.
Anston, E of Sheffield,
Anston.
Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained.
Rotherham.
Light brown to cream.
Used on Houses of Parliament but
No
unsuitable for decorative features.
Shipley, Bradford.
Bradford.
Appleton.
Sandstone. Coarse-grained and hard to
No
Blue to brown.
work but durable.
Bolton Woods.
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
Yes
Sandstone. Fine and coarse textured.
Yes
Light greenish brown.
Ackworth, near
Brackenhill.
Wakefield, Wakefield.
Light grey to brown.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
16
NW of Leeds, Leeds.
Bramley Fall.
Sandstone. Coarse-grained. Very strong
Light brown.
and durable. Suitable for engineering
Yes
uses.
Weston Hall (Banquet House); ruins of
Kirksall Abbey; Leeds Town Hall.
Cadeby, near
Cadeby.
Magnesian Limestone. Fine-grained.
Doncaster, Doncaster.
Ranges from white to yellow.
General Accident Building, York.
Near Huddersfield,
Crossland Hill.
Sandstone.
Yes
Kirklees.
Light brown.
Elland, NW of
Elland Edge.
Sandstone. Fine-grained and fissile, a
No
Huddersfield,
Brown to grey.
‘York’ stone.
Calderdale.
Yes
Much used in Huddersfield, Halifax and
Bradford regions.
Guisley, near Leeds,
Guisley.
Sandstone. Even texture, free working.
Leeds.
White but variegated.
Strong and durable.
Morley, near Leeds,
Howley Park.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Easily worked.
Leeds.
Light brown.
Durable.
No
No
A ‘York’ stone, much used.
Sherburn-in-Elmet,
Huddlestone.
near Leeds, Leeds.
Cream.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Magnesian limestone.
No
17
Outibridge, NW of
Middlewood.
Sandstone. Medium to coarse texture.
Sheffield, Sheffield.
White to brown.
Durable.
South Milford, near
Park Nook.
Magnesian limestone. Moderately good
Leeds.
Cream.
working.
No
No
Much used locally.
Farnley, SW of Leeds,
Park Spring.
Sandstone. Medium-grained. A ‘York’
Leeds.
Light brown.
stone.
No
Much used in Leeds.
SE of Leeds, near
Robin Hood.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Durable if
Wakefield, Wakefield.
Bluey and greenish grey.
carefully selected. A’ York’ stone.
E of Rotherham,
Roche Abbey.
Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained but
Rotherham.
Cream.
rather soft and subject to
No
No
discolouration.
Near Halifax,
Scout Stone.
Sandstone. Hard and durable.
No
Calderdale.
Light brown to greyish white.
W of Tadcaster, North
Tadcaster/Thevesdale.
Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained.
Yes
Yorkshire.
Cream.
York and Beverley Minsters; Selby
Abbey.
Barton, near
Swaledale.
Limestone. Barton marble also
Darlington to SW,
Light brown with many fossils.
produced.
North Yorkshire.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
18
Thornton, near
Thornton Blue.
Sandstone. Fine-grained but costly to
Bradford, Bradford.
Bluish grey.
work. Very hard and durable.
Huddersfield, Kirklees.
Wellfield.
Sandstone. Fine-grained, free working.
Light brown, occasional quartz
Very durable.
No
No
pebbles.
Keighley, Bradford.
West End.
Sandstone. Fine texture. Very hard and
Brown.
durable.
SW of Sheffield,
Stoke Hall.
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
Sheffield.
Cream to brown.
Sheffield Town Hall.
Morley, near Leeds.
Woodkirk Blue.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Good working.
Blue.
Durable.
Woodkirk Brown.
Sandstone. Fine-grained in massive
Grey to brown.
beds.
Morley, near Leeds.
No
Yes
No
Yes
Note: The generic name of ‘York’ stone is applied to the products of a number of quarries to the south of Leeds
and Bradford and from around Halifax, much used in the area for general building purposes and, because some
of the stone is highly laminated, also used widely for paving, steps, sills and copings. However, due to its porous
nature, it is not so suitable as some other sandstones for roofing purposes. A good example in ashlar is the
railway station, St George’s Square, Huddersfield (1850).
Cheshire
Pott Shrigley,
Berristall.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Free working.
NE of Macclesfield,
Cream.
Durable.
Cheshire.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
19
Kerridge, NE of
Kerridge. Buff.
Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Macclesfield,
Good working properties. Very hard and
Cheshire.
durable but also fissile and used for
Yes
roofing.
Weston, near
Runcorn.
Sandstone. Coarse- to fine-grained.
Runcorn, Halton.
Red, mottled.
Easily worked. Durable.
NE of Macclesfield,
Windyway.
Sandstone. Fine- to medium-grained.
Cheshire.
Bluish grey.
Good working qualities. Durable.
No
No
Available in large blocks.
Derbyshire
NW of Matlock,
Birchover Moor.
Sandstone. Medium-grained. One of the
Derbyshire.
Pink to yellow buff.
‘Dale’ stones. Highly suitable for ashlar.
E of Chesterfield,
Bolsover Moor.
Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained.
Derbyshire.
Warm, yellowish brown.
Good durable building stone.
Dene Quarry, near
Derby Dene.
Limestone. Fine-grained.
No
Matlock, Derbyshire.
Creamy grey with fossils.
Bakewell, near
Darley Dale.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Very strong
Yes
Matlock, Derbyshire.
Pale brown to white.
and weathers well. Largely used.
Rowsley, SE of
Dukes.
Limestone. Fine-grained.
No
Bakewell, Derbyshire.
Deep red.
Stanton Lees,
Endcliffe.
Sandstone. Fine to coarse texture. Very
No
Derbyshire.
Pink to brown.
durable. One of the ‘Dale’ stones.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
No
20
Birchover, NW of
Dungeons.
Sandstone. Fine to medium texture.
Matlock, Derbyshire.
Pink.
Very durable.
Wirksworth, SW of
Hadene.
Limestone. Fine-grained. Said to be
Matlock, Derbyshire.
Cream.
indistinguishable from Hopton Wood.
Hopton, Wirksworth,
Hopton Wood.
Limestone. Fine-grained. Takes a good
SW of Matlock,
Cream.
polish and more used for decorative
Derbyshire.
No
No
No
work.
Near Matlock,
Hall Dale.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. One of the
Derbyshire.
Pink.
‘Dale’ stones.
NW of Matlock,
Stancliffe.
Sandstone. Close-grained, uniform
Derbyshire.
Honey to very light drab.
texture, good working properties. Very
Yes
Yes
hard and durable. One of the ‘Dale’
stones.
St. George’s Hall, Liverpool. Restoration
at 32 St Mary’s Street and 35 Heriot
Row (1993 and 1998); Dynamic Earth
Building, Holyrood Road (1999) (all
Edinburgh). The Crescent, Buxton.
Birchover, NW of
Stanton Park.
Sandstone. Fine- to coarse-grained. Very No
Matlock, Derbyshire.
Pink and brown.
durable.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
21
Matlock, Derbyshire.
Whatstandwell.
Sandstone. One of the coarser ‘Dale’
Light brown to pink.
stones.
Lumshill.
Sandstone. Medium-grained.
Yes
Steetley.
Magnesian limestone.
No
Mansfield,
Mansfield, Woodhouse.
Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained,
No
Woodhouse,
Warm yellow.
compact.
Mansfield,
White Mansfield.
Magnesian sandstone. Fine, even-
Nottinghamshire.
Creamy yellow.
grained. Not durable in polluted
Matlock, Derbyshire.
Yes
Light buff.
Nottinghamshire
Worksop,
Nottinghamshire.
Nottinghamshire.
Yes
atmospheres.
Southwell Minster, Newark Town Hall.
Linby, S of Mansfield,
Linby.
Magnesian limestone. Coarse-grained
Nottinghamshire.
Brownish yellow.
but free working. Not durable in
No
polluted atmospheres.
Newstead Abbey.
Two quarries
Red Mansfield.
Magnesian sandstone. Fine, even-
(Lindley’s and Sill’s) at
Warm red colour.
grained. Not durable in polluted
Mansfield,
Nottinghamshire.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
atmospheres.
No
22
Lincolnshire
Ancaster and
Ancaster, Weatherbed.
Limestone. Coarse-grained. Freestone
Grantham,
Brownish yellow.
has a finer, even texture. Both free
Lincolnshire.
Freestone – creamy white.
working and good for ashlar. Not
Yes
durable in polluted atmospheres.
Newark Castle; Harlaxton Manor.
Great Casterton, Near
Casterton (also known as
Limestone. Medium-grained with small,
Stamford,
Stamford).
fine shell fragments. Free working, good
Lincolnshire.
Pale brownish cream.
for ashlar. Not suitable for polluted
No
atmospheres.
Much of Stamford and the locality with
some use at Cambridge and elsewhere
in the Fenlands and East Anglia.
Caernarvon and
The following quarries are shown on the 2001 BGS map as active in the production of Welsh slate in shades of
Merioneth
deep blue, blue, dark grey, blue grey, green bronze and heather, mainly for roofing purposes but also for
cladding: Porthmadoc and Llechwedd, Cut-y-Bugail, Gloddfa Ganol (all near Blaenau Ffestiniog); Penrhyn Light
Blue near Bathesda, Peny Orsed near Nantile and Aberilefeni near Corris (all in Gwynedd with Berwyn, east of
Corwen near Llangollen in Conwy).
Shropshire
Staffordshire
Clive, near
Grinshill.
Sandstone. Fine-grained, durable.
Shrewsbury,
White through cream to
Resistant to pollution.
Shropshire.
orange and deep red.
Hollington, near
Hollington.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Sandstone. Even-grained, fine to
Yes
No
23
Uttoxeter, between
White, red, salmon and
medium, hardens on exposure.
Stoke and Derby,
mottled.
The pinkish stone chosen for the
Staffordshire.
rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral and
work on Hereford and Birmingham
Cathedrals and Ludlow Church; upper
part BHS, Eastgate, Gloucester.
Rutland
Clipsham, near
Clipsham.
Some blue patches which weather to
Oakham, Rutland.
Pale cream, buff to light
grey. Limestone. Medium- to coarse-
brown.
grained with shell fragments. Good for
Yes
ashlar. A little more durable in polluted
atmospheres than other limestones.
Many local churches. Used for
restoration of Houses of Parliament and
York, Canterbury, Ripon and Salisbury
Cathedrals. Examination Schools, ‘Tom
Tower’, Christ Church, St Aldates (1909
rebuild) (all Oxford). Eltham Palace,
London (1935).
Ketton, near Stamford, Ketton.
Limestone. Medium, even-grained,
Rutland.
regular texture, free of shell fragments.
Yellow, buff to pink.
Ideal for the ashlared walls of dwellings
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
24
in the classical style. Good weathering
except in polluted atmospheres.
Much used in Cambridge and some use
in Stamford and at Audley End.
Norfolk
Snettisham, N of Kings
Carstone.
Sandstone. Strongly impregnated with
Lynn, Norfolk.
Light brown.
iron. Coarse-grained and hard. Turns
Yes
darker on exposure.
Stables at Houghton Hall.
Warwickshire
Edge Hill, NW of
Hornton.
Ironstone. Close-grained, easily worked
Banbury,
Brown, greenish blue,
and suitable for ashlar. Not durable in
Warwickshire.
sometimes mixed.
polluted atmospheres.
Yes
Broughton Castle.
Northamptonshir
Collyweston, near
e
Stamford,
Collyweston.
Limestone. Sandy texture. Fissile and
Yes
used for roofing purposes.
Northamptonshire.
Duston, W of
Duston.
Northampton,
Warm russet brown.
Ironstone. Sandy texture.
No
No
Northamptonshire.
Moulton, NE of
Moulton.
Ironstone. Sandy texture. Classed as
Northampton,
Warm russet reddish, yellowy
sandstone on BGS map.
Northamptonshire.
brown.
Much used in Northampton and
iResource – Building stones and quarries
25
surrounding area.
Weldon, near Corby,
Weldon.
Limestone. Fine, even-grained with
Northamptonshire.
Pinkish brown to buff.
some shell matter. Open textured but
No
notably frost resistant. Easily worked
and suitable for ashlar but not durable
in polluted atmospheres.
Kirby Hall, Castle Ashby, Ruston Hall,
Boughton House, Haunt Hill House.
Cambridgeshire
Burwell, NE of
Burwell.
Limestone. Chalk often called ‘clunch’.
Cambridge,
White.
Still available to SW of Cambridge at
Cambridgeshire.
Gloucestershire
No
Barrington Quarry.
Coleford,
Forest of Dean.
Sandsone. Fine-grained, hard and
Gloucestershire.
Dark blue grey
durable.
Yes
Nat West, Eastgate, Gloucester.
Fishponds, Bristol.
Pennant.
Sandstone. Fine-grained. Hard and
Dark blue and grey, red.
difficult to work but much used locally.
No
Very durable.
Shire Hall, Gloucester (1816).
Guiting, E of
Guiting.
Limestone. Coarse-grained with fossil
Cheltenham,
‘Yellow’ – warm brown to
content.
Gloucestershire.
yellow; ‘White’ – white to
Royal Oxford Hotel (‘yellow’).
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
26
cream.
Forest of Dean,
Red Wilderness.
Sandstone.
Yes
Farmington,
Painswick.
Limestone. A ‘Cotswold’ building stone.
No
Northleach,
Cream.
Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire.
Note: A plethora of quarries that are or were at one time producing ‘Cotswold’ limestone for building are shown
on the BGS map. Among those listed as active in 2001 are Campden and Chipping Campden, Stanley, Cotswold
Hill, Flick, Happylands, Coscombe, Kineton Thorns, Huntsmans, Swellwold, Brockhill and Soundborough. Among
the buildings where the stone has been used are Gloucester Cathedral, south wall, base ragstone, St Michael’s
Church, tower, St Mary’s de Crypt, Southgate, St. John’s Church (1734), Church House, wall and dressings (all in
Gloucester); Buttermarket, High Town (1861), Museum and Library, dressings to windows, Broad Street (both in
Hereford); and St John the Baptist Church, Cirencester.
Oxfordshire
Stonesfield, near
Stonesfield.
Woodstock, NW of
Light brown.
Limestone. Used mainly for roofing.
No
No
Oxford, Oxfordshire.
Bladon, near Oxford,
Bladon.
Limestone. Coarse-grained and used
Oxfordshire.
Light brown with traces of
mainly for rubble walling, sandy and
blue.
fissile. Sometimes used as an inferior
substitute for Clipsham.
New Bodleian Library, random coursed
iResource – Building stones and quarries
27
and hammer dressed (1939).
Taynton, NW of
Taynton.
Limestone. Coarse-grained, containing
Burford, Oxfordshire.
Orange-yellow or white,
shells.
honey shade.
Radcliffe Camera, Radcliffe Square,
No
upper part, Oxford.
Headington, suburb of
Headington.
Oxford,
Limestone. Freestone, soft, fairly
No
porous, easily weathered. Fully worked
by about 1700.
Oxfordshire. Radcliffe Camera, Radcliffe
Square, lower part, Oxford.
Bedfordshire
Somerset
Dunstable
Tottenhoe.
Limestone. Gritty feel from shell
Greenish grey.
fragments.
Doulting, E of Shepton
Doulting.
Limestone. Coarse-grained with crinoid
Mallet, Somerset.
Pale buff to light brown.
fragments. Not suitable for polluted
Yes
Yes
atmospheres. Wells Cathedral, Corpus
Christi College (older part), Oxford.
Norton-sub-Hamden,
Ham Hill.
Limestone. Coarse-grained with shell
W of Yeovil, Somerset.
Light yellow to light brown.
fragments. Not suitable for polluted
Yes
atmospheres.
Charlton Mackrell, S of
Glastonbury, N of
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Blue Lias.
Limestone.
No
28
Yeovil, Somerset.
Bishop Sutton, S of
Stowey.
Limestone
Yes
Combe Down, E of
Combe Down.
Limestone. Even-grained, easy working.
Yes
Bath, Bath and North
Pale brown to light cream.
Can be porous. Not suitable for polluted
Bristol, W of Bath,
Bath and North East
Somerset.
East Somerset.
atmospheres. A ‘Bath’ stone of which
much of the city was built. Other
Somerset quarries in area shown on BGS
map produced similar stone. See also
Wiltshire.
Wiltshire
Tisbury, Vale of
Tisbury.
Wardour, W of
Greenish grey.
Limestone. Sandy texture.
No
Yes
Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Chilmark, Vale of
Chilmark.
Limestone. Sandy texture similar to
Wardour, W of
Greeny grey.
Tisbury. The BGS map shows it as
Salisbury, Wiltshire.
quarried with a sandstone called
Teffont.
Salisbury Cathedral, Romsey Abbey,
Wilton House.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
29
Bradford-on-Avon,
Bradford.
Limestone. A ‘Bath’ stone.
No
Limpley Stoke, SE of
Stoke ground.
Limestone. Fine-grained. Very suitable
Yes
Bath. On border of
Cream to buff.
for ashlar and details. A ‘Bath’ stone.
Winsley ground.
Limestone. A ‘Bath’ stone.
No
Monks Park.
Limestone. One of the ‘Bath’ stones but
Yes
Wiltshire.
Wiltshire and Bath and
North East Somerset.
Winsley, W of
Bradford-on-Avon,
Wiltshire.
Corsham, between
Bath and Chippenham, Pale cream bordering on
white.
finer and more even-grained than the
others. Free working. Not suitable for
polluted atmospheres.
Box Hill, N of
Box ground, also known as St
Limestone. A ‘Bath’ stone, no longer
Bradford-on-Avon,
Aldhelm.
worked.
Wiltshire.
Cream to light brown.
Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire.
Corsham, between
Corngrit.
Limestone. One of the ‘Bath’ stones but
Bath and Chippenham, Light cream.
coarser grained than Corsham Down.
Wiltshire.
Durable except in polluted
atmospheres.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
No
30
Corsham, between
Corsham Down.
Bath and Chippenham, Light cream.
Limestone. One of the ‘Bath’ stones.
No
Fine-grained and free working.
Wiltshire.
Note: ‘Bath’ stone was mined at other locations in the area, among them Hartham Park near Corsham and
Hazelbury near Box and Farley Down, Monkton Farley, north west of Bradford-on-Avon; also at Westwood,
south-west of Bradford-on-Avon. Apart from much use in Bath, Bristol and the surrounding area, ‘Bath’ stone
was extensively used elsewhere: in Oxford, the Sheldonian Theatre, refaced in 1830; the Baliol College Broad
Street frontage, in 1850 with very fine joints and iron cramps and mixed with Portland stone; the Ashmolean
Museum, Beaumont Street. In Gloucester, the 1856 frontage to the Eastgate Shopping Centre is in ‘Bath’ stone
as are the dressings to the Guildhall in the High Street at Worcester.
Surrey
Near Godalming, SW
Bargate (Burgate).
Sandstone. Coarse in texture and
of Guildford, Surrey.
Brown to yellow.
durable. Sometimes iron staining.
No
Charterhouse School.
Reigate, Surrey.
Reigate.
Sandstone. Although a freestone and
Greenish.
capable of being ashlared, its use for
Westminster Abbey and Southwark
Cathedral among other locations in
London proved unsatisfactory due to
porosity.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
31
Other quarries for ‘Reigate’ stone were at Bletchingley, Godstone and Limpsfield (all to the east of and between
Reigate and Sevenoaks) and at Merstham and Gatton (to the north of Redhill). Stone variants of both Reigate
and Bargate were also quarried at Woolmer Forest and Selborne to the south-east of Alton (both in Hampshire).
Kent
Bethersden, W of
Bethersden.
Ashford, Kent.
Limestone. Known as a ‘paludina’
No
marble because of containing remains of
snail shells.
Aylesford, NE of
Kentish Ragstone.
Sandstone, from Lower Greens and
Maidstone, Kent.
White to greenish grey.
Hythe beds. Tough, hard and relatively
No
intractable. Chiefly used for rubble
walling.
Keep of Rochester Castle; White Tower,
London; West Gate, Canterbury; Knole
House; Ightham Mote; Cooling Castle;
Maidstone Gaol; Archbishop’s Palace
Maidstone. Eltham Palace, Great Hall,
London.
Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Calverley (or Tilgate).
Sandstone.
Variegated brown.
Its use is much in evidence in Tunbridge
No
Wells.
Devonshire
Near Tavistock,
Merrivale.
Granite. Medium-grained with feldspar
Devonshire.
Silver grey.
crystals.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
32
Beer, East Devon,
Beer.
Limestone. Fine-grained, light in weight
Devonshire.
White to pale grey or cream.
and compact. Soft, easy to work, hence
Yes
much used for interior work. Not
suitable for polluted atmosphere and,
although not considered suitable, used
locally for external work. Essentially
chalk.
Upper level Guildhall, Exeter (1592) and
repairs to Cathedral.
Oreston, near
Radford.
Limestone. Fine-grained, free working.
No
Yes
Plymouth, Devonshire. Grey to red.
Dorset
Isle of Portland, S of
Portland.
Limestone. The 2001 BGS map indicates
Weymouth, Dorset.
White to grey.
that the Basebed, Roach and Whitbed
levels are available.
Much used generally since Wren chose
it for the rebuilding of St Paul’s
Cathedral.
Isle of Purbeck, W of
Purbeck.
Limestone. Used as building stone but
Swanage, Dorset.
Grey to greeny grey.
also much used when polished as
‘Purbeck marble’ for interior columns
such as those at Salisbury Cathedral and
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes
33
many other churches. The Isle of
Purbeck also produces a good building
stone called Purbeck-Portland, which
was available in 2001.
Hampshire
Quarr Abbey, near
Quarr.
Limestone. Contained shell fragments.
No
St Boniface and Green
Sandstone. Fine-grained.
No
Ventnor.
Much used on the island and at
Blue grey to green grey.
Winchester and Chichester (detached
Ryde, Isle of Wight.
Ventnor, Isle of Wight.
bell tower) Cathedrals and for repairs at
Herstmonceux Castle.
Sussex
Quarries to S and SW
Wealden.
Sandstone. Fine-grained freestone.
of East Grinstead,
Blend of dark grey and pale
Good for ashlar.
West Sussex.
fawn.
Wakehurst Place; Bodiam Castle.
West Hoathley, West
Sussex Sandstone.
Sandstone. Quarry locations as per
Sussex.
Yes
No
Stone Federation’s Natural Stone
Glossary of early 1990s. The 1991 BGS
map shows an entirely different
location.
Horsham, West
Horsham.
Sandstone. Fine-grained, easily split into
Sussex.
Brown to yellow.
slabs for roofing and paving.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
No
34
Cornwall
St Breward, Bodmin,
Tor Brake, Tor Down De Lank
Granites. Medium-grained. Mainly used
Cornwall.
and Hantergantick.
for engineering work.
Yes
Silvery to greenish grey.
Penryn, NW of
Penryn.
Granite. Medium- to coarse-grained.
Falmouth, Cornwall.
Medium grey.
Used for both engineering and general
No*
building work.
*Others active to west of Falmouth
Delabole, NE of Port
Delabole.
Slate. Other active quarries in the area
Isaac, Cornwall.
Green, grey green and rustic
are producing similar slate called
red.
Trevillet Merryfield and Trecame, Tyne’s
and Prince of Wales.
iResource – Building stones and quarries
Yes