Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from theCombe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down,Somerset, England, its warm, honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of Bath, England its distinctive appearance. An important feature of Bath Stone is that it is a freestone, that is one that can be sawn or 'squared up' in any direction, unlike other rocks such as slate which forms distinct layers.
Bath Stone has been used extensively as a building material throughout southern England for churches, houses and public buildings such as railway stations.
Some of the quarries from which the stone was taken are still in use; however the majority have been converted to other purposes or are being filled in.
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Geological formation
During the Jurassic Period (195 to 135 million years ago) the region that is now Bath was under a shallow sea. Layers of Marine sediment built and individual spherical grains were coated withlime as they rolled around the sea bed forming the Bathonian Series of rocks. Under the microscope, these grains or ooliths (egg stone) are sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Hellenic word òoion for egg. Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 mm: rocks composed of ooids larger than 2 mm are called pisolites. They frequently contain minute fragments of shell or rock and sometimes even decayed skeletons of marine life.
Use as a building stone
It was extensively used in the Roman and Medieval periods on domestic, ecclesiastical and civil engineering projects such as bridges. [1]
Ralph Allen promoted its use in Bath in the early 18th century, including his own mansion at Prior Park, but it was used long before then. Example include religious, residential and industrial buildings. The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, which was founded in 1738 was designed by John Wood the Elder was built with Bath stone donated by Ralph Allen. It is a Grade II listed building.[2] There is a fine pediment, in Bath stone, on the building depicting the parable of the good Samaritan.
The material has also been used widely outside of Bath itself.Claverton Pumping Station at Claverton which was built of Bath Stone around 1810, pumps water from the River Avon to theKennet and Avon Canal using power from the flow of the River Avon.[4] The stone was also used for the Dundas Aqueduct, which is 150 yards (137.2 m) long with three arches built of Bath Stone, with Doric pilasters, and balustrades at each end.[5]
Much of Bristol Cathedral was built of Bath Stone and the Wills Tower, which is the dominant feature of the Wills Memorial Building, is reinforced concrete faced with Bath and Clipsham stone.[6] Bristol's Cabot Tower was also faced with Bath Stone.Arno's Court Triumphal Arch was built from Bath stone around 1760 and later dismantled before being moved to its current location and rebuilt.
Bath Stone was also favoured by architect Hans Price who designed much of 19th century Weston-super-Mare.
In London the neo-classical Georgian mansion Lancaster Housewas built from Bath Stone in 1825 for the Duke of York and Albany, the second son of King George III. The brick of Apsley House was fronted with Bath Stone, and several churches including Church of Christ the King, Bloomsbury were built from the material.
In Barnstable the 1855 construction of Butchers Row used Bath Stone.
In Reading the original building Royal Berkshire Hospital of 1839, together with the wings added in the 1860s, are now listed grade II* by English Heritage. They are built of Bath Stone withslate roofs, and the main building comprises 2 storeys and a basement. The frontage has 11 bays, with the central 7 bays forming a projecting pedimented hexastyle portico with Ionic columns.[7] In 1860 the nearby Reading railway station building, in Bath Stone and incorporating a tower and clock, was constructed for the Great Western Railway, who also used it forChippenham railway station.
Other mansions which have used Bath Stone include: Gatcombe Park, Goldney Hall, Tyntesfield, South Hill Park, Spetchley Park.
In 2002 the East End of Truro Cathedral was completely renovated and restored with some of the ornate Bath stone replaced with harder wearing Syerford stone. In 2005 the West Front was restored similarly. Both projects were supervised by MRDA Architects of London, the Cathedral architects.
Quarries
Bath Stone was mined underground at Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines, in Somerset; and as a result of cutting the Box Tunnel, at various locations in Wiltshire, including Box andCorsham.[8]
Underground extraction of Bath Stone continues in the Corsham area but on a smaller scale than previously. For example, Hanson plc operates Hartham Park Quarry in the Hudswell district (southwest of Pickwick). Other quarries have been re-used. Current examples include primarily defence establishments, but also a wine cellar at Eastlays (near Gastard)[9] and storage formagnetic media (for
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