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| Inlaid Ashford Black Marble thermometers |
During a day out to Buxton, to explore its historic stone built architecture, a particular highlight was my visit to Buxton Museum & Art Gallery and, although its displays were being reorganised for the current refurbishment, I was particularly interested to discover that two of the Peak District's most interesting products - Ashford Black Marble and Blue John – are well represented in its collections.
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| A pair of inlaid Ashford Black Marble urns |
Ashford Black Marble is the name given to a dark grey and chert rich variety of the Monsal Dale Limestone, without shelly beds, that is found at Ashford-in-the-Water near to Bakewell, which can be highly polished and was once widely used as an ornamental stone for monuments and tombs.
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| Inlaid Ashford Black Marble birds |
This stone is probably best known for its household objects – urns, obelisks, candlesticks, thermometers and tabletops etc. - which have been inlaid with various other semi-precious stones and, as an industry promoted and financially supported by the Duke of Devonshire, these can be found in Chatsworth House and many other country houses owned by the nobility during the Regency period.
Blue John is a unique variety of banded fluorite that is formed in mineral veins within the Carboniferous Limestone, which were mined for lead, and is only found in Castleton in the Peak District National Park. Although there are references to its production in the 1760's, like Ashford Black marble, it became popular during the Regency period and was used to make vases, urns and various other ornaments. Fine examples are displayed in Buckingham Palace, Chatsworth House and various museums - including the Natural History Museum in London and Clifton Park Museum in Rotherham.
Although the industry declined in the second half of the 19th century, small quantities are still being produced to make jewellery and gifts and the Treak Cliff Cavern is now one of the four show caves in Castleton that are a great attraction to tourists.
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| Examples of Blue John in a display cabinet |
Although the industry declined in the second half of the 19th century, small quantities are still being produced to make jewellery and gifts and the Treak Cliff Cavern is now one of the four show caves in Castleton that are a great attraction to tourists.
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| A detail of a Blue John ornament on a light box |
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