I.A.Recordings
Industrial Archaeology

Site Feature: Forest of Dean Stone Firms

The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England, has had its own mining laws since the fourteenth century and these "rights of free miners" were extended to the extraction of stone in the 1830's.

Bixhead quarry has supplied Pennant sandstone for at least 500 years. Many prominent buildings in Britain have been built with this stone, reputedly including London Bridge. The quarry is now registered as an important geological and archaeological site. A Scotch Derrick crane lifts stone blocks of up to 10 tonnes after they have been split from the face with wedges.

Deeper in the forest 1km to the east is the stoneworks of Forest of Dean Stone Firms Ltd., where the stone is cut and dressed.

Belt-driven horizontal saw frames, a modern horizontal saw and a circular saw cut the stone to size with diamond-tipped blades. Blocks are then dressed by hand by masons using pneumatic tools as well as the traditional mallet and chisel. Many ornamental features such as chamfers or bevels can be shaped on the stone planing machine.

A 48 minute 'enhanced' compilation, No.31; "Forest of Dean Stone Firms" shows work at the quarry and all the stone-cutting machines in action. All pictures on this page are taken from the video.

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Last modified 30/12/01