Yorkstone: The Paving Stone Of England
Yorkstone is a natural sandstone of very high quality, strength and durability which comes from quarries in West Yorkshire.
It is perhaps best known for its use as a paving stone and has been used to pave most of the major towns and cities in the UK.
The traditional London paving stone is Yorkstone.
Yorkstone is also widely used in the construction and building industries and in DIY and gardening projects.
As well as paving stone for footpaths, patios and driveways, it is used for stone walling, stone steps, cobbled paving, rockery gardens, and garden stone ornaments.
From prehistoric deposits to quarried stone Yorkstone is sedimentary sandstone formed over 300 million years ago in the Carboniferous period as silt deposited by rivers, and consists of quartz, mica, feldspar, silica, clay and iron oxides.
It was first quarried in Yorkshire in medieval times and by the 18th century a large industry had developed quarrying the Yorkstone of the millstone grit and coal measures in West Yorkshire.
The first quarries or 'delves' were developed in the outcrop on the valley sides and later began to move underground into large chambers or galleries.
Deep Yorkstone quarries and mines became possible after the introduction of gins and steam cranes and the earliest shafts were sunk in Hipperholme, close to Halifax in about 1860.
Versatile and durable Initially the Yorkstone was used for stone walling, and the traditional local skill of building dry stone walls with Yorkstone continues in Yorkshire to this day.
Another early use was for roofing, made from split stones known locally as thackstone or grey slate.
Yorkstone's fame really took off with the need for paving stone in the rapidly expanding towns and cities of the industrial revolution.
Its versatility and durability led to its use in a huge range of building projects from footpaths, roads and dry stone walling to churches, cathedrals, bridges, houses and skilfully carved monuments.
Types of Yorkstone The sandstone blocks used for making Yorkstone products are separated into two main categories.
One has highly visible sedimentary layers and is used for riven Yorkstone paving and other riven Yorkstone products.
The term 'riven' comes from riving (splitting) the block apart.
This block is referred to as flagrock or flagblock.
The second kind of block is more compressed, and the sedimentary layers are not as visible and cannot be riven apart.
This type of block is referred to as ashlar block and is used for sawn Yorkstone products such as sawn Yorkstone paving, building masonry and carved ornaments and sculptures.
Stone for rockeries Other layers in the Yorkstone quarry include cross-bedded sandstone that can't be used for stone paving or sawing due to its shape.
These are often loose layers and are used for making rockery gardens and dry stone walling.
Another layer is made up of hard shale blocks known as rag blocks which are also used for rockery gardens and for water garden features.
Clay, mudstone, siltstone and soft shale make up the rest of the layers in the Yorkstone quarry.
Yorkstone colours The colour of Yorkstone depends on the minerals within its makeup and differs from quarry to quarry.
Quarried blocks are rusty red to brown in colour on the outside and are usually a sandy yellow colour on the inside.
This sandy colour can clearly be seen on the inside of the blocks when they are sawn into Yorkstone slabs or riven into Yorkstone paving.
Orange bands known as concretion lines can also be seen on the inside of the blocks when exposed with sawing or riving.
Traditional skills at the quarry The quarrymen who work the Yorkstone are known as 'delvers'.
Delph, delf or delver comes from the Anglo Saxon word 'delfan' which means to dig.
The early Yorkstone quarries were smaller than those of today and were called delphs.
Some areas, street names and buildings in Yorkshire still have the name delph or delver.
The 'Delvers Arms' public house, 'Delvers Cottage' and 'Delph Hill' are just a few examples.
It is perhaps best known for its use as a paving stone and has been used to pave most of the major towns and cities in the UK.
The traditional London paving stone is Yorkstone.
Yorkstone is also widely used in the construction and building industries and in DIY and gardening projects.
As well as paving stone for footpaths, patios and driveways, it is used for stone walling, stone steps, cobbled paving, rockery gardens, and garden stone ornaments.
From prehistoric deposits to quarried stone Yorkstone is sedimentary sandstone formed over 300 million years ago in the Carboniferous period as silt deposited by rivers, and consists of quartz, mica, feldspar, silica, clay and iron oxides.
It was first quarried in Yorkshire in medieval times and by the 18th century a large industry had developed quarrying the Yorkstone of the millstone grit and coal measures in West Yorkshire.
The first quarries or 'delves' were developed in the outcrop on the valley sides and later began to move underground into large chambers or galleries.
Deep Yorkstone quarries and mines became possible after the introduction of gins and steam cranes and the earliest shafts were sunk in Hipperholme, close to Halifax in about 1860.
Versatile and durable Initially the Yorkstone was used for stone walling, and the traditional local skill of building dry stone walls with Yorkstone continues in Yorkshire to this day.
Another early use was for roofing, made from split stones known locally as thackstone or grey slate.
Yorkstone's fame really took off with the need for paving stone in the rapidly expanding towns and cities of the industrial revolution.
Its versatility and durability led to its use in a huge range of building projects from footpaths, roads and dry stone walling to churches, cathedrals, bridges, houses and skilfully carved monuments.
Types of Yorkstone The sandstone blocks used for making Yorkstone products are separated into two main categories.
One has highly visible sedimentary layers and is used for riven Yorkstone paving and other riven Yorkstone products.
The term 'riven' comes from riving (splitting) the block apart.
This block is referred to as flagrock or flagblock.
The second kind of block is more compressed, and the sedimentary layers are not as visible and cannot be riven apart.
This type of block is referred to as ashlar block and is used for sawn Yorkstone products such as sawn Yorkstone paving, building masonry and carved ornaments and sculptures.
Stone for rockeries Other layers in the Yorkstone quarry include cross-bedded sandstone that can't be used for stone paving or sawing due to its shape.
These are often loose layers and are used for making rockery gardens and dry stone walling.
Another layer is made up of hard shale blocks known as rag blocks which are also used for rockery gardens and for water garden features.
Clay, mudstone, siltstone and soft shale make up the rest of the layers in the Yorkstone quarry.
Yorkstone colours The colour of Yorkstone depends on the minerals within its makeup and differs from quarry to quarry.
Quarried blocks are rusty red to brown in colour on the outside and are usually a sandy yellow colour on the inside.
This sandy colour can clearly be seen on the inside of the blocks when they are sawn into Yorkstone slabs or riven into Yorkstone paving.
Orange bands known as concretion lines can also be seen on the inside of the blocks when exposed with sawing or riving.
Traditional skills at the quarry The quarrymen who work the Yorkstone are known as 'delvers'.
Delph, delf or delver comes from the Anglo Saxon word 'delfan' which means to dig.
The early Yorkstone quarries were smaller than those of today and were called delphs.
Some areas, street names and buildings in Yorkshire still have the name delph or delver.
The 'Delvers Arms' public house, 'Delvers Cottage' and 'Delph Hill' are just a few examples.
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