Cotswold stone
Encyclopedia
Cotswold stone is a yellow oolitic
limestone
quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills
in the south midlands of England
. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'.
The stonework of the Northern Cotswold villages such as Stanton
and Broadway
, is significantly darker than that found in the Southern Cotswolds (eg Dursley
) (see http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=609).
The rock outcrops at places on the 'Cotswold Edge' and small quarries are common. The exposures are rarely sufficiently compact to be good for rock-climbing. However, an exception is Castle Rock, on Cleeve Hill
, above Bishop's Cleeve
, near Cheltenham
.
Oolite
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Hellenic word òoion for egg. Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 mm; rocks composed of ooids larger than 2 mm are called pisolites...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarried in many places in the Cotswold Hills
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
in the south midlands of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. When weathered, the colour of buildings made or faced with this stone is often described as 'honey' or 'golden'.
The stonework of the Northern Cotswold villages such as Stanton
Stanton, Gloucestershire
Stanton is a small village 3½ miles south of Broadway, and north of Cheltenham. It is completely constructed out of Cotswold stone, with a high street, and a pub, The Mount, at the end. Pevsner calls it 'architecturally, the most distinguished of the smaller villages in the North Cotswolds'.It is...
and Broadway
Broadway, Worcestershire
Broadway is a village and civil parish in the Worcestershire part of the Cotswolds in England.Often referred to as the "Jewel of the Cotswolds", Broadway village lies beneath Fish Hill on the western Cotswold escarpment...
, is significantly darker than that found in the Southern Cotswolds (eg Dursley
Dursley
Dursley is a market town in Gloucestershire, England. It is under the North East flank of Stinchcombe Hill , and about 6 km South East of the River Severn. The town is adjacent with Cam which, though a village, is a community of double the size...
) (see http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=609).
The rock outcrops at places on the 'Cotswold Edge' and small quarries are common. The exposures are rarely sufficiently compact to be good for rock-climbing. However, an exception is Castle Rock, on Cleeve Hill
Cleeve Hill
Cleeve Hill is the highest point both in the Cotswolds hill range and in the county of Gloucestershire, at . It commands a clear view to the west, over Cheltenham and the racecourse, over the River Severn and into Wales; and to the north over Winchcombe. It is a conspicuous outcrop on the edge of...
, above Bishop's Cleeve
Bishop's Cleeve
Bishop's Cleeve is an urbanised village in the Borough of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, near Cheltenham. The village lies at the foot of Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds.- History :...
, near Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
.