Posted by Robert Dilley on June 25, 2003 at 15:49:25 from 65.39.15.73 user rdilley.
In Reply to: Re: Stone posted by John Nichols on June 24, 2003 at 17:16:58:
Hard to tell from the picture. According to Vernacular Architecture of the Lake Counties by RW Brunskill (Faber 1974) the commonest material was slatestone -- probably the solider chunks less suitable for splitting into roofing slates -- generally laid "watershot": with a distinct tilt towards the outer face to disperse any rain driven into the wall.
Other materials include sandstone (Carlisle cathedral is mostly red sandstone), limestone, cobbles (rounded stones from stream beds) and some surviving clay-walled buildings (not surprisingly mainly outside the distinctly wetter mountain areas).
Roofing was almost entirely of local slate; except on some outbuildings such as byres, which for economy might have been roofed with turfs or brackens in the past.