C O N T E X T 1 1 0 : J U LY 2 0 0 9 29 Tarnia McAlester No stone unturned What stone was used in the construction of historic buildings? From where was the stone won? The Strategic Stone Study faces the mammoth task of finding out. England has a fantastically rich and varied architectural landscape. A great deal of this is owed to the countless varieties of stone used in the construction of buildings and other structures in many of the half a million listed buildings and 9,500 conservation areas, reflecting the local geology that makes many towns, villages and rural landscapes so distinctive. Supplies of new stone and, more important, sourcing the right stone to conserve historic buildings can be extremely challenging, but it is essential if we are to avoid long-term damage to this precious, finite resource. This is not solely an aesthetic concern but a technical compatibility issue. Obtaining the correct stone is vital when carrying out repair work, matching the original in its mineral composition, density and porosity. If this rule is not adhered to, the new stone can hasten the decay of its neighbour and is unlikely to weather in consistently. Usually this calls for a replacement to be sourced from the original quarry or at least one in very close proximity to the original supply. There is no single source of information which comprehensively lists the stones used in the construction of historic buildings. Most of the original quarries are now closed, and published information on the stones used and precisely where they were won is difficult to track down. The government and English Heritage are aiming to address these problems in the Strategic Stone Study which is now under way after a small pilot was carried out in three counties. Five years ago the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Communities and Local Government) commissioned the Symonds Report ¹, which examined the issues affecting the supply and demand of indigenous stone in the UK. In particular, the report focused on the problems of sourcing appropriate stone to repair historic buildings and recommended that the mineral planning authorities should identify and protect ‘heritage quarries’. It recommended the establishment of a national database of the many building and roofing stones used, including their sources and availability throughout England. It would contain: a) a description of stones, b) their suitability for various end uses, c) details of existing sources, and d) the extent of unworked resources, including disused and dormant quarries, outcrop limits and the likely extent of rock. Further information relating to these factors for each representative stone should include notes on scarcity, importance for heritage and new build, the need for safeguarding potentially workable resources, and details of potential substitutes, perhaps from resources not currently worked. In response to the recommendations of the Symonds Study, CLG produced guidance for mineral planning authorities and others by publishing Minerals Policy Statement 1 (MPS1). Annex 3, Natural Building and Roofing Stone, recommends that ‘English Heritage and the industry are encouraged to make mineral planning authorities aware of important sources of building and roofing stone that they consider should be safeguarded from other forms of development.... Mineral planning authorities require detailed guidance about historic stone quarries, which are frequently perceived as brownfield sites or protected for their wildlife interest and designations, the resulting factor can be compatible sources of stone for conserving buildings are then lost in perpetuity. Local authorities are therefore encouraged to identify existing and Reference 1 The Symonds Report (2004) Planning for the Supply of Building and Roofing Stones in England andWales, ODPM publications Architectural detailing at Calke Abbey.The stone is of the Bromsgrove Sandstone Group. Typical Cotswold vernacular roofing at Bibury
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