Portland stone
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Portland stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. It is a series of Limestones separated by Chert beds. It has been used extensively throughout the UK, notably in the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire. It is exported to many countries, for example the stone is used in the United Nations building in New York.
All gravestones for British soldiers killed in the First and Second World Wars are made out of Portland stone.
Three main "Portland Beds" are quarried. The Base and Whitbed beds are fine textured and contain few fossil remains, and so are popular for high quality work. The Roach bed is rougher with many fossils and its stone is notably used in the Cobb, at nearby Lyme Regis, Dorset.
The Portland Sculpture and Quarry Trust was formed in 1983. The Trust is dedicated to preserving a knowledge and understanding of stone and the landscape from which it comes.
[edit] See also
- List of stone
- Portland Admiralty Roach
- Portland Bowers Basebed
- Portland Bowers Lynham Whitbed
- Portland Bowers Saunders Whitbed
- Portland Grove Whitbed
- Portland Hard Blue
- Portland Independent Basebed
- Portland Independent Bottom Whitbed
- Portland Independent Top Whitbed
- Portland New Independent Whitbed
- Portland cement
[edit] External links
