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Author
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Topic: What kind of stone were castles made of?
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Aries
Member
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posted 01-06-2000 09:18 AM
  
I cant find any resources that say what kind of stone castles in England or Wales typically used...If anyone knows i would love to be informed!thanks
-seth |
Philip Davis
unregistered
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posted 01-06-2000 12:45 PM
The simple answer to this question is that castles were built with what ever stone was to hand. The cost of transporting stone was massive so castle builders used the closest stone available, often quarrying the stone at the castle site (digging the ditches at the same time). Thus the bulk of a castle could be built from any type of stone, including flint, sea pebbles and chalk.)
However, some castles were built where there was no stone, and it had to be brought in from the most convient quarry.
Having said this few quarries produce stone that is able to be finely carved. This type of stone is needed for windows, doors, carvings and quoins (the corner stones). In Medieval England the highest status stone was Caen Limestone from a quarry in Normandy, Northern France. This stone was widely used in many castles and churches. But other quality stones were used (often limestones but not exclusively so)
Castles were high status buildings, designed to show a lords wealth. One way to do this was to import expensive stone and then to use them in decorative patterns. Thus a lord might import a white limestone, a red sandstone and a black stone to make a decorative pattern. Please let me know if you need more detail than this. ------------------
Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them, Psychiatrists charge the rent, art therapists do the interior design and nurses clean out the garderobes!
http://www.castlesontheweb.com/members/philipdavis/index.html
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Aries
Member
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posted 01-06-2000 01:42 PM
Limestone? But that is the worst stone they could have picked. It deteriorates in the rain. If it is true then most castles will be gone rather quickly. I think if i ever build a castle i would take the egyption approach and use granite as the outside surface, however that would look kind of funny. |
wurdsmiff
unregistered
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posted 01-06-2000 03:35 PM
Limestone? the Maltese had little else to build with until concrete was brought over by the British military. They have many fine buildings, both fortified and not, and whilst they do indeed show the effects of weathering, they remain very impressive indeed after many centuries of Mediterranean storms, great sieges, and bombardment by the Germans in WW2. It is also easily worked and detailed and they think it an ideal building material, and still use it more often than modern alternatives. have a look at the one or two pictures in the photo archive of maltese fortifications and cannon, and you will see what I mean.------------------
'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm Gordon. |
Philip Davis
unregistered
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posted 01-06-2000 06:52 PM
Whilst it is true that limestone dissovles in rain water this is a much slower process than you seem to think. (Although quicker in modern rain which is much more acidic). Actually granite contains feldspar, which is also soluble, so it also dissolves in the rain.Much more important in the weathering of stone is freeze cracking. This occurs when rain in cracks in the rock expands as it freezes. The important thing is to have a rock which has few cracks in it, these rocks are the quality rocks which are worth quarrying. By the way, my sources state that the great pyramids of Giza were faced with limestone from Turah, although the interior chambers were faced with granite from Aswan (a very expensive rock of a rare red colour which could take a fine polish) ------------------
Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them, Psychiatrists charge the rent, art therapists do the interior design and nurses clean out the garderobes!
http://www.castlesontheweb.com/members/philipdavis/index.html |
duncan
Senior Member
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posted 01-07-2000 05:18 AM
Limestone when first brought from the ground and still retains its moisture can litterly be cut with a pen knife, which helps to quarry it. After its cut, shaped and smoothed it is left to sit from 6 months to over 1 year for the moisture to dissapate.The amount of time depends on what its use will be, as in a wall or a building facade. The stone then hardens into one of the oldest and best building materals. All stone deteriorates at some rate. I hope this info helps.------------------
Megan and Ralph
DUNCAN CASTLE [This message has been edited by duncan (edited 01-07-2000).] |
darkday1369
Member
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posted 04-14-2011 10:37 PM
Aries: Limestone? But that is the worst stone they could have picked. It deteriorates in the rain. If it is true then most castles will be gone rather quickly. I think if i ever build a castle i would take the egyption approach and use granite as the outside surface, however that would look kind of funny.Many of the pyramids were built with a number of different stone materials. Most of the material used was fairly rough, low grade limestone used to build the pyramid core, while fine white limestone was often employed for the outer casing as well as to cover interior walls, though pink granite was also often used on inner walls. Basalt or alabaster was not uncommon for floors, particularly in the mortuary temples and as was mudbricks to build walls within the temples (though often as not they had limestone walls). http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/material.htm
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Targer
Member
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posted 04-18-2011 05:07 PM
Many castles are built from field stones. These are irregular and of many sizes and shapes therefore a skilled stone mason is required. | |
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