Great Britians Indigenous Stones

Limestone

Limestone is one of the most widely used natural stones, available in various geological forms. In the UK, it naturally occurs in many regions, with a primary belt running from Dorset and Somerset in the South West, through the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire, and extending into Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and north of the Humber.

A sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate, limestone’s durability makes it suitable for a range of applications, from cladding to internal flooring.

Granite

Granite, an igneous rock, is quarried in limited locations across the UK, including Devon, Cornwall, Gwynedd, Aberdeen, and Peterhead.

Formed by the slow crystallisation of minerals such as quartz, feldspar, and mica, granite offers a variety of colours and grain patterns. Its distinctive flashes of colour add depth, especially when polished, enhancing its visual appeal. Granite's interlocking crystal structure provides high strength and low water absorption, making it ideal for a range of uses, including cladding, paving, and plinth courses.

Sandstone

Sandstone refers to sedimentary stones with a granular texture and has historically been used in areas near quarry sites. Many 'stone cities' in Northern England are known for their heavy use of sandstone in local architecture.

Composed mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar, sandstone’s mineral composition results in a wide array of colours, including whites, browns, greys, and reds. Its high strength makes it particularly suitable for high-traffic areas like paving.

Slate

Found mainly in Cornwall, North Wales, the Scottish Highlands, and the Lake District, slate has been a key building material for centuries. Defined by its 'slaty' cleavage, true slate can be split along the cleavage plane, making it versatile and easy to work with.

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated metamorphic rock formed through the alteration of shale, ash, or mudstone by regional metamorphism. It is composed of clay minerals or micas, with occasional quartz, feldspar, calcite, pyrite, and hematite. Its high strength and low water absorption make slate ideal for applications such as flooring, cladding, and roofing.