The Jewel in the Fossil - Mandale Limestone...from Derbyshire Fossil bed-rock, I thought that the...
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE Two of Derbyshire’s most beautiful and rare stones have now come together and are being offered by Natural Stone Sales Ltd, in the form of unique bespoke fire surrounds The Jewel in the Fossil... The Derbyshire Fossil limestone is from the “once-a-week quarry” near Sheldon. The quarry is owned by the Chatsworth Estate and leased to Mandale Stone Co Ltd. The medium grey coloured limestone takes a high polish and was known locally as Sheldon Marble. The ivory coloured fossils were laid down in the sedimentary bed rock during the carboniferous period some 365 million years ago. The fossils are mainly crinoids, brachiopods, corals and even occasionally shark’s teeth! The stone is won by hand, using traditional methods with “plugs” and “feathers” taking great care not to damage the stone. The stone is mainly supplied as a roughly squared building stone for house building within the Peak National Park to maintain the character and keep buildings in their local context; however it was also supplied for the perimeter wall of the Tower of London. Dry stone walling is also supplied for some of the seemingly endless miles of field walls, an endearing feature of Derbyshire’s beautiful countryside. Occasionally, when the natural beds are pure enough, a dimensional block is won, which is then sawn into thin slabs. The slabs are then cut, polished and shaped into kitchen work tops, bathroom Old Station Yard, Rowsley, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 2EJ Telephone – 01629 735507 Fax – 01629 735508 www.naturalstonesalesltd.co.uk vanity tops and fire surrounds. The quarry has been in existence for many years and reputedly got its name of “once-a-week” in the early nineteenth century, as the workers were paid once-a- week when other quarries locally paid the wages fortnightly. Natural Stone Sales Ltd are obviously proud of their association with the Chatsworth Estate and have been pleased to receive the Dowager Duchess and the current Duchess to select stone for some of their projects. “We were particularly pleased to be able to supply a very nicely fossiled, large piece of stone for the late Dukes memorial stone” said Mr Richard Bean of Natural Stone Sales Ltd. The Blue John stone comes only from the famous series of caverns in Castleton. This beautiful gem stone is mainly used for jewellery these days, but in the eighteenth century it was highly prized in prestigious fire surrounds that adorn many stately homes. Some of the best examples of Blue John are in Chatsworth House, which include the “Blue John Window” and the largest one-piece Blue John tazza ever made. “I have always been interested in the Pietra Dura work, which was very popular locally in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with the Ashford Black marble, which is sadly no longer available. The inlaid Blue John fire surrounds at that time were very grand and highly decorated. As the Blue John is mined from Derbyshire Fossil bed-rock, I thought that the stones would compliment each other really well in a fire surround”. Blue John Master Craftsmen, Mr Eddie Fisher was approached and asked if he would like to be involved in the Blue John inlaid fire surrounds. Eddie said “The Blue John fire surrounds are amazing and I am really pleased to be involved. I tried to get local stone companies to do this over 20 years ago and no one was interested. As in nature the two stones really do seem to belong together”. The surrounds pictured are in a classical style and almost timeless period. In other words, these surrounds could fit most applications from period homes to a modern semi. These fire surrounds are unique, “one- offs” for customers that want something really special that cannot be duplicated. With pietra dura inlaid work, the emphasis is in extremely high quality workmanship – perfection being the goal. The eye is immediately drawn to faults or mistakes when working to these tolerances. Mrs Jenny Newton has been with the company 13 years and has seen a lot of changes in that time. “Business was extremely good, up until the recession started. At that time 90% of our business was new build related. We then targeted more private work and now private work is up to at least 30% and also the new build has taken off again. We are looking forward to an exceptionally good 2013”. Mrs Lisa Booth – Sales Manager is equally optimistic. “Kitchen worktops are very busy again and enquiry levels are very high. We have already had strong interest in the Blue John fire surrounds and this is the first attempt to promote them. Our policy is to offer the best quality and service that we can achieve, which seems to work well as most of our orders are referrals from other happy customers”. If you are looking for new kitchen worktops, bathroom vanity tops, a very special fire surround, or any masonry work, give Natural Stones Sales Ltd a call... YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. ■
Transcript of The Jewel in the Fossil - Mandale Limestone...from Derbyshire Fossil bed-rock, I thought that the...
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Two of Derbyshire’s most beautiful and rare stones have now come togetherand are being offered by Natural Stone Sales Ltd, in the form of uniquebespoke fire surrounds
The Jewel in the Fossil...
The Derbyshire Fossil limestone is fromthe “once-a-week quarry” near Sheldon.The quarry is owned by the ChatsworthEstate and leased to Mandale Stone CoLtd. The medium grey coloured limestonetakes a high polish and was known locallyas Sheldon Marble. The ivory colouredfossils were laid down in the sedimentarybed rock during the carboniferous periodsome 365 million years ago. The fossils aremainly crinoids, brachiopods, corals andeven occasionally shark’s teeth!
The stone is won by hand, usingtraditional methods with “plugs” and“feathers” taking great care not todamage the stone.
The stone is mainly supplied as aroughly squared building stone for house building within the Peak NationalPark to maintain the character and keepbuildings in their local context; however it was also supplied for the perimeter wall of the Tower of London. Dry stonewalling is also supplied for some of theseemingly endless miles of field walls, an endearing feature of Derbyshire’sbeautiful countryside.
Occasionally, when the natural beds are pure enough, a dimensional block iswon, which is then sawn into thin slabs.The slabs are then cut, polished andshaped into kitchen work tops, bathroom
Old Station Yard, Rowsley, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 2EJTelephone – 01629 735507Fax – 01629 735508 www.naturalstonesalesltd.co.uk
vanity tops and fire surrounds.The quarry has been in existence for
many years and reputedly got its name of “once-a-week” in the early nineteenthcentury, as the workers were paid once-a-week when other quarries locally paid thewages fortnightly.
Natural Stone Sales Ltd are obviouslyproud of their association with theChatsworth Estate and have been pleasedto receive the Dowager Duchess and thecurrent Duchess to select stone for someof their projects.
“We were particularly pleased to beable to supply a very nicely fossiled, large piece of stone for the late Dukesmemorial stone” said Mr Richard Bean of Natural Stone Sales Ltd.
The Blue John stone comes only fromthe famous series of caverns in Castleton.This beautiful gem stone is mainly usedfor jewellery these days, but in theeighteenth century it was highly prized in prestigious fire surrounds that adornmany stately homes. Some of the bestexamples of Blue John are in ChatsworthHouse, which include the “Blue JohnWindow” and the largest one-piece BlueJohn tazza ever made.
“I have always been interested in thePietra Dura work, which was very popularlocally in the eighteenth and nineteenthcenturies with the Ashford Black marble,which is sadly no longer available. Theinlaid Blue John fire surrounds at thattime were very grand and highlydecorated. As the Blue John is minedfrom Derbyshire Fossil bed-rock, I thought
that the stones would compliment eachother really well in a fire surround”.
Blue John Master Craftsmen, Mr EddieFisher was approached and asked if hewould like to be involved in the Blue Johninlaid fire surrounds. Eddie said “The BlueJohn fire surrounds are amazing and I amreally pleased to be involved. I tried to getlocal stone companies to do this over 20years ago and no one was interested. As in nature the two stones really do seem to belong together”.
The surrounds pictured are in a classicalstyle and almost timeless period. In otherwords, these surrounds could fit mostapplications from period homes to amodern semi.
These fire surrounds are unique, “one-offs” for customers that want somethingreally special that cannot be duplicated.
With pietra dura inlaid work, the emphasisis in extremely high quality workmanship –perfection being the goal. The eye isimmediately drawn to faults or mistakeswhen working to these tolerances.
Mrs Jenny Newton has been with thecompany 13 years and has seen a lot ofchanges in that time. “Business wasextremely good, up until the recessionstarted. At that time 90% of our businesswas new build related. We then targetedmore private work and now private work isup to at least 30% and also the new buildhas taken off again. We are lookingforward to an exceptionally good 2013”.
Mrs Lisa Booth – Sales Manager isequally optimistic. “Kitchen worktops arevery busy again and enquiry levels are veryhigh. We have already had strong interestin the Blue John fire surrounds and this is
the first attempt to promote them. Our policy is to offer the best quality andservice that we can achieve, which seemsto work well as most of our orders arereferrals from other happy customers”.
If you are looking for new kitchenworktops, bathroom vanity tops, a veryspecial fire surround, or any masonry work,give Natural Stones Sales Ltd a call... YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. ■
