As we mentioned in our launch post for the Historic England project we are looking at three heritage stones, here’s a little background on them…

Foggintor Granite

Foggintor quarry, originally known as Royal Oak quarry, is located near Princetown on Dartmoor (UK), the quarry is now closed but the stone is still available from stock. The granite is a biotite-bearing syeno-granite pegmatite with crystal colours primarily ranging from medium light grey to greyish black . Stone from this quarry was used in the main column of Nelson’s column as well as many other notable London buildings.

Howley Park Sandstone

Howley Park sandstone is still quarried near Leeds (UK), it’s a brownish coloured dolomitic sublithic wacke-stone. This stone has been used in heritage sites such as the Coliseum Theatre in Leeds and Wentworth House in South Yorkshire.

Jordans Basebed Portland Limestone

Jordans Basebed limestone originates from the Isle of Portland (UK). It’s an oolitic limestone containing small fossil shell fragments with a creamy white colour which is typical of Portland limestones. Portland limestones were widely used by Christopher Wren in the rebuilding of London following the Great Fire in 1666, it is also the stone of choice for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for headstones and so can be found globally.