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Alex Stark
Watson Stonecraft
Few now recall the heady days of Scotland’s stone industry when literally hundreds of often very small and individually-owned quarries were in daily use throughout the length and breadth of the country. These quarries provided the enormous range of stones used to build the nation’s cities, towns and villages and which gave a distinct character to each. Many of these sources became either worked out of useable stone or simply fell into disuse with the decline in the industry which resulted from changes in construction materials and methods. Nevertheless there are still a good number of working quarries in Scotland able to provide stone for new projects as well as previously redundant quarries such as Cullaloe in Fife that are being brought back to life to produce replacement material for existing buildings. Contrary to broad perceptions therefore, the industry is in a stronger position now than it has been for many years and is once again looking to increase the use of stone. Architects and specifiers should look to Historic Scotland’s TAN12 on ‘The Quarries of Scotland’ for background to those sources still operational, as well as ‘The Stone Specifier’s Guide’ (available from the Stone Federation) for information on suppliers.
Unlike timber, stone cannot be described as a renewable resource. Its use can, however, be justified over the life-cycle of a building, and the decision to specify it is made easier when the material is sourced locally. This is not only because less transport is involved – resulting in lower embodied energy costs – but also because locally-sourced stone invariably responds better to the regional climatic and environmental conditions. Local sourcing also supports employment and the skill base available in what are often rural areas. Tradition too plays a part, as does experience of how to use specific stone types in different applications.
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