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 Building, 1–3 York Place (1998); 202–254 Canongate 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. Granite. Coarse-grained. No
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 Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. Earnock. White and grey. Sandstone. Good working, very hard and durable. No Cleland, between Airdie and Wishaw, North Lanarkshire. Auchinlea. 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 Yes
Penrith, Cumbria. Penrith Red. Deep rust, bright red, pink to buff. Sandstone. Moderately coarse-grained. Plain details fare better. All the 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 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. 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 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 Yes
Sainsburys, Queensferry Road, (1993); John Lewis, Leith Walk, extension cladding (all Edinburgh). Hewworthburn, South Tynside. Hewworthburn. Bluish grey. Sandstone. Fine-grained but not easy to work. Very hard and durable. No Lancashire Near Blackburn, Blackburn and Darwen. Butler Buff Sandstone. Coarse-grained, very hard and durable. No Farnworth, near Bolton, Bolton. Edgefold. White to biscuit. Sandstone. Fine-grained, easily worked. Very durable. No Rainhill, E of Liverpool, Knowsley. Rainhill. Red to orange. Sandstone. Fine-grained. No Appley Bridge, NW of Wigan, Wigan. Appley Bridge. Blue. Sandstone. Fine texture, fairly easy to work, very hard and durable. Much of Oldham, Rochdale, Colne and Wigan. No Woolton, SE of Liverpool, Liverpool. Woolton. Red to orange. Sandstone. Fine-grained. Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool. No Yorkshire Aislaby. SW of Whitby, North Yorkshire. Aislaby. brown. Sandstone. Fine texture. Whitby Abbey; Guisborough Priory; Houghton Hall in Norfolk. No Wass, E of Thirsk, Wass. Limestone. Fine texture. No
North Yorkshire. Byland Abbey. Anston, E of Sheffield, Rotherham. Anston. Light brown to cream. Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained. Used on Houses of Parliament but unsuitable for decorative features. No Shipley, Bradford. Appleton. Blue to brown. Sandstone. Coarse-grained and hard to work but durable. No Bradford. Bolton Woods. Light greenish brown. Sandstone. Fine-grained. Yes Ackworth, near Wakefield, Wakefield. Brackenhill. Light grey to brown. Sandstone. Fine and coarse textured. Yes NW of Leeds, Leeds. Bramley Fall. Light brown. Sandstone. Coarse-grained. Very strong and durable. Suitable for engineering uses. Weston Hall (Banquet ruins of Kirksall Abbey; Leeds Town Hall. Yes Cadeby, near Doncaster, Doncaster. Cadeby. Ranges from white to yellow. Magnesian Limestone. Fine-grained. General Accident Building, York. Yes Near Huddersfield, Kirklees. Crossland Hill. Light brown. Sandstone. Yes
Elland, NW of Huddersfield, Calderdale. Elland Edge. Brown to grey. Sandstone. Fine-grained and fissile, a ‘York’ stone. Much used in Huddersfield, Halifax and Bradford regions. No Guisley, near Leeds, Leeds. Guisley. but variegated. Sandstone. Even texture, free working. Strong and durable. No Morley, near Leeds, Leeds. Howley Park. Light brown. Sandstone. Fine-grained. Easily worked. Durable. A ‘York’ stone, much used. No Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Leeds, Leeds. Huddlestone. Cream. Magnesian limestone. No Outibridge, NW of Sheffield, Sheffield. Middlewood. White to brown. Sandstone. Medium to coarse texture. Durable. No South Milford, near Leeds. Park Nook. Magnesian limestone. Moderately good working. Much used locally. No Farnley, SW of Leeds, Leeds. Park Spring. Light brown. Sandstone. Medium-grained. A ‘York’ Much used in Leeds. No SE of Leeds, near Wakefield, Wakefield. Robin Hood. Bluey and greenish grey. Sandstone. Fine-grained. Durable if carefully selected. A’ York’ stone. No
E of Rotherham, Rotherham. Roche Abbey. Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained but rather soft and subject to discolouration. No Near Halifax, Calderdale. Scout Stone. Light brown to greyish white. Sandstone. Hard and durable. No W of Tadcaster, Yorkshire. Tadcaster/Thevesdale. Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained. York and Beverley Minsters; Selby Abbey. Yes Barton, near Darlington to SW, North Yorkshire. Swaledale. Light brown with many fossils. Limestone. Barton marble also produced. No Thornton, near Bradford, Bradford. Thornton Blue. Bluish grey. Sandstone. Fine-grained but costly to work. Very hard and durable. No Huddersfield, Kirklees. Wellfield. brown, occasional quartz pebbles. Sandstone. Fine-grained, free working. Very durable. No Keighley, Bradford. West End. Brown. Sandstone. Fine texture. Very hard and durable. No SW of Sheffield, Sheffield. Stoke Hall. Cream to brown. Sandstone. Fine-grained. Sheffield Town Hall. Yes Morley, near Leeds. Woodkirk Blue. Blue. Sandstone. Fine-grained. Good working. Durable. No Morley, near Leeds. Woodkirk Brown. Sandstone. Fine-grained in massive beds. Yes
NW of Matlock, Derbyshire. Stancliffe. Honey to very light drab. Sandstone. Close-grained, uniform texture, good working properties. Very 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. Yes Birchover, NW of Matlock, Derbyshire. Stanton Park. Pink and brown. Sandstone. Fine- to coarse-grained. Very durable. No Matlock, Derbyshire. Whatstandwell. Light brown to pink. Sandstone. One of the coarser ‘Dale’ stones. Yes Matlock, Derbyshire. Lumshill. Light buff. Sandstone. Medium-grained. Yes Nottinghamshire Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Steetley. Magnesian limestone. No Mansfield, Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire. Mansfield, Woodhouse. Warm yellow. Magnesian limestone. Fine-grained, compact. No
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. White Mansfield. Creamy yellow. Magnesian sandstone. Fine, Not durable in polluted atmospheres. Southwell Minster, Newark Town Hall. Yes Linby, S of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Linby. Brownish yellow. Magnesian limestone. Coarse-grained but free working. Not durable in polluted atmospheres. Newstead Abbey. No Two quarries (Lindley’s and Sill’s) at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Red Mansfield. Warm red colour. Magnesian sandstone. Fine, Not durable in polluted atmospheres. No Lincolnshire Ancaster and Grantham, Lincolnshire. Ancaster, Weatherbed. Brownish yellow. Freestone – creamy white. Limestone. Coarse-grained. Freestone has a finer, even texture. Both free working and good for ashlar. Not durable in polluted atmospheres. Newark Castle; Harlaxton Manor. Yes
Stables at Houghton Hall. Warwickshire Edge Hill, NW of Banbury, Warwickshire. Hornton. Brown, greenish blue, sometimes mixed. Ironstone. Close-grained, easily worked and suitable for ashlar. Not durable in polluted atmospheres. Broughton Castle. Yes Northamptonshire Collyweston, near Stamford, Northamptonshire. Collyweston. Limestone. Sandy texture. Fissile and used for roofing purposes. Yes Duston, W of Northampton, Northamptonshire. Duston. Warm russet Ironstone. Sandy texture. No Moulton, NE of Northampton, Northamptonshire. Moulton. Warm russet reddish, yellowy brown. Ironstone. texture. Classed as sandstone on BGS map. Much used in Northampton and surrounding area. No Weldon, near Corby, Northamptonshire. Weldon. Pinkish brown to buff. Limestone. Fine, even-grained with some matter. Open textured but 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. No
Cambridgeshire Burwell, NE of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. Burwell. White. Limestone. Chalk often called ‘clunch’. Still available to SW of Cambridge at Barrington Quarry. No Gloucestershire Coleford, Gloucestershire. Forest of Dean. Dark blue grey Sandsone. Fine-grained, hard and durable. Nat West, Eastgate, Gloucester. Yes Fishponds, Bristol. Pennant. Dark blue and grey, red. Sandstone. Fine-grained. Hard and difficult to work but much used locally. Very durable. Hall, Gloucester (1816). No Guiting, E of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Guiting. ‘Yellow’ – warm to yellow; ‘White’ – white to cream. Limestone. Coarse-grained with fossil content. Royal Oxford Hotel (‘yellow’). Yes Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Red Wilderness. Sandstone. Yes Farmington, Northleach, Gloucestershire. Painswick. Cream. Limestone. A ‘Cotswold’ building stone. No
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 Woodstock, NW of Oxford, Oxfordshire. Stonesfield. Light brown. Limestone. Used mainly for roofing. No Bladon, near Oxford, Oxfordshire. Bladon. brown with traces of blue. Limestone. Coarse-grained and used mainly for rubble walling, sandy and fissile. Sometimes used as an inferior substitute for Clipsham. New Bodleian Library, random coursed and hammer dressed (1939). No Taynton, NW of Burford, Oxfordshire. Taynton. Orange-yellow or honey shade. Limestone. Coarse-grained, containing shells. Radcliffe Camera, Radcliffe Square, upper part, Oxford. No Headington, suburb of Oxford, Headington. Limestone. Freestone, soft, fairly porous, easily weathered. Fully worked by about No
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 Wardour, W of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Tisbury. Greenish grey. Limestone. Sandy texture. No Chilmark, Vale of Wardour, W of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Chilmark. Greeny grey. Limestone. Sandy texture similar to Tisbury. The BGS map shows it as quarried with a sandstone called Teffont. Salisbury Cathedral, Romsey Wilton House. Yes Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. Bradford. Limestone. A ‘Bath’ stone. No Limpley Stoke, SE of Bath. On border of Wiltshire and Bath and North East Somerset. Stoke ground. Cream to buff. Limestone. Fine-grained. Very suitable for ashlar and details. A ‘Bath’ stone. Yes Winsley, W of Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. Winsley ground. Limestone. A ‘Bath’ No Corsham, between Park. Limestone. One of the ‘Bath’ stones but Yes
Horsham, West Sussex. Horsham. Brown to yellow. Sandstone. Fine-grained, easily split into slabs for roofing and paving. No Cornwall St Breward, Bodmin, Cornwall. Tor Brake, Tor Down De Lank and Hantergantick. Silvery to greenish grey. Granites. Medium-grained. Mainly used for engineering work. Yes Penryn, NW of Falmouth, Cornwall. Penryn. Medium grey. Granite. Medium- to coarse-grained. Used for both engineering and general building work. *Others active to west of Falmouth No* Delabole, NE of Port Cornwall. Delabole. grey green and rustic red. Slate. Other active quarries in the area are producing similar slate called Trevillet Merryfield and Trecame, Tyne’s and Prince of Wales. Yes