An Urban Geology Field Trip in Sheffield

 

Applying an acid test to volcanic green slate in the Peace Gardens

 

My brief stop on Ecclesall Road, when on the way to finalise the Sheffield U3A Geology Group field trip itinerary for 2023, added to my knowledge of the use of the Brincliffe Edge/Greenmoor Rock – as seen in the late Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses - and I was interested to see the relief sculptures by Richard Watts at the Church of St. William of York. 

 

The Building Stones of Sheffield - Part 1 by Peter Kennett

Two weeks later, my next day out was to lead the group around Sheffield City Centre to look at its building stones – a field trip that other members of the group had organised going back to 2009, which was presumably based on the Building Stones of Sheffield written by Peter Kennett back in 1999. As a member of the Sheffield Building Stones Group, Peter had consulted me about this and I walked around Sheffield with him to add my comments - particularly the cleaning of the terracotta and polished  granite at the former Laura Ashley building with strong hydrofluoric acid.

 

The Building Stones of Sheffield - Part 2 by Peter Kennett

As a geologist with specialist stone identification and matching skills, which I first learned as a building restoration contractor in London, I had previously written several articles about the Heart of the City developments in Sheffield for Natural Stone Specialist magazine, which continued with the Stone Plus and Stein stone trade magazines in Germany. 

 

Articles for various stone trade journals

In February 2018, I was asked to lead a walk to look at the building stones of Sheffield and my extensive preparation for this is recorded in a series of four Language of Stone Blog posts – starting with The Building Stones of Sheffield – Part 1. 

 

A planter in Tudor Square

 

Our walks typically start at 10:30 a.m. and finish at 3:30 p.m. and Peter Kennet’s leaflet is completely inadequate for this, but I had no problem devising a walk that would include newer developments such as Tudor Square, The Moor and Sheaf Square, where we started our day – as well as a good look at the interiors of Sheffield Central Library, the Town Hall and City Hall, where a wide variety of decorative stones from the UK and Europe have been used. 

 

Kilkenny limestone seating on the Moor

 

Since my first walk around Sheffield city centre with the Sheffield U3A Geology Group, whilst investigating the Sheffield Board Schools, I had travelled all around Sheffield and, when photographing very many historic buildings for the British Listed Buildings Photo Challenge, I encountered very many buildings in the Sheffield City Centre Conservation Area that were designed by Sheffield’s leading Victorian architects. 

 

A detail of stone carving by Frank Tory on Carmel House

 

Very many of these made great use of the eminent sculptor Frank Tory, whose work can be seen at Carmel House on Fargate, Parade Chambers on High Street and on the gateposts at the south-east corner of the old churchyard at Sheffield Cathedral. Again, another series of my Language of Stone Blog posts, starting with Historic Architecture in Sheffield – Part 1, records the observations of these buildings that I had made the year before. 

 

Historic architecture in Sheffield city centre.

 

I like to get the group members to look up to see these wonderful examples of architectural sculpture, rather than stop at every bank building to examine granites and other igneous rocks from Scotland and Scandinavia, such as larvikite and Rapakivi granite, which were widely used by Victorian and Edwardian architects and can be seen in most cities and towns throughout the UK. 

 

Pound's Park just before its completion

 

One of the newer members of our group, Andrew, had made the seating for the Peace Gardens and had worked as a part time Public Arts Officer for Sheffield City Council. He worked with their design team and was able to give us an insight into this and other developments at Pound’s Park and Charter Square – where he selected the enormous pieces of Crosland Hill sandstone and supervised their installation. 

 

A view of Charter Square

 

As usual, when leading ‘urban geology’ walks such as this, I don’t get much time to stand back and take photographs as I would normally do on other trips, so I rely on other members of the group to do this and Paul and John H supplied most of the photos that I used for the report, which records the events of the day. 

 

The report on the field trip