An Old Quarry in Harthill

"Rotherham Red" sandstone in Harthill

From previous experience of surveying a wide variety of geological sites in South Yorkshire, the Republic of Ireland and the Peak District National Park, I know that very many old quarries are on private land – hidden by plantations, small housing estates and commercial developments – and gaining access isn't possible for a casual visitor.

A general view of  the "Church Quarry"

Having visited Harthill several times this year, to study the building stones of All Hallows church and the village, I had effectively exhausted the places that I could survey but a chance meeting with a local resident – who suggested that no one would mind if I took a look – provided an opportunity to investigate an old quarry that is presumed to be the source of its building stone.

Massive wedge bedded sandstone

Set on the northern part of the escarpment that runs from the rear of the church up to Winney Hill, it is surrounded by mature trees that forms a dense canopy. In this sheltered, dank environment, the majority of the old quarry faces – comprising massive wedge bedded sandstone – are largely obscured by moss, algae and lichens but a distinct red colouration of the stone can still be seen.

A detail of laminated beds with ironstone pellets

In places, the upper parts of the quarry faces expose laminated beds that contain purple shale partings and ironstone pellets, which are a common feature of the “Rotherham Red” sandstone. These beds are softer than the underlying massive rock and the weathering of these and the soil horizons have contributed to the formation of a scree that covers much of the lower parts of the quarry face.

A packhorse bridge

Although its size and close proximity to the centre of the old village might suggest that this quarry was the major supplier of typical “Rotherham Red” sandstone used for the historic vernacular buildings, there is no evidence of the mottled/yellow colour or gritty texture that is a feature of the sandstone that has been used in All Hallows church.

A detail of sandstone at All Hallows church

Todwick - St. Peter & St. Paul

A general view of the church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Todwick

The village of Todwick is the next stop on my investigation of the mediaeval parish churches that are set on the outcrop of the Rotherham Red sandstone – and which can be easily investigated on the No. 74 bus route that runs from Treeton to Harthill.

A geological map of the area around Todwick

Unlike the village of Harthill, the Rotherham Red sandstone around Todwick forms a gently undulating landscape, partially covered in glacial till and with no escarpments that would obviously be exploited by quarrying; however, on rising ground immediately to the south of St. Peter & St.Paul's church, a plantation may cover former quarry workings.

Sandstone and limestone in an old agricultural building

Apart from the church and manor house, a handful of other historic buildings are found half a mile to the north and which are essentially constructed of Rotherham Red sandstone, with some old barns using both sandstone and dolomitic limestone.

An Anglo-Saxon/Norman north door to the nave

St. Peter and St. Paul's church is a simple structure comprising an 11th century coursed rubble sandstone aisleless nave, with a 14th century chancel and porch – both in squared dolomitic limestone – and a 15th century tower, which is constructed in mottled red/yellow sandstone that is very similar to the one seen in the tower at All Hallows, Harthill.

Mottled Rotherham Red sandstone to the tower

With the exception of the original dolomitic limestone mullions to the belfry windows, which are virtually identical in style to All Hallows, all of the dressings are built in the same stone as the walls; however, there is no consistency in the stone used for later restoration and repairs.

Repairs and restoration to the west elevation of the tower

The masonry to the exterior of the nave was once covered in thick layers of lime wash or lime plaster and this is still seen in the interior, although - in 1969 - this was removed from the Norman sandstone chancel arch, and presumably the other dressings, to reveal its rubble core.

The chancel arch

All Hallows Church Revisited

A detail of a column plinth at All Hallows church

Continuing with my investigation of the interior of All Hallows church, the design of the arcades follows a similar pattern to St. Helen's church in Treeton, with round Norman arches to the north arcade and pointed 13th century arches to the south arcade.

The south and north arcade

Stone identification in low interior light is often made very difficult by the remnants of the ancient lime wash that have not been removed during the restoration by the Victorians; furthermore, various pigments such as ochre, umber and sienna - used for elaborate decoration - have left stains on this substrate and in places gives it a distinctly red coloration.

Hydrated iron oxides used as pigments

Once adjusted to the low levels of light, a close look at the north arcade shows that the columns have been built in Rotherham Red sandstone, with Permian dolomitic limestone only used for the capitals and arches; however, the south arcade is built entirely in Rotherham Red sandstone.

A view of the south arcade and clerestory

Looking at the fabric, Rotherham Red sandstone has essentially been used for coursed rubble walling, with dolomitic limestone reserved for window dressings, door surrounds, a piscina and as large squared blocks for the clerestory.

An investigation of the window reveals

Haddon Hall - Building Stones

A view of the south front of Haddon Hall

Anyone who has spent time exploring the Peak District of England will be aware of the contrast between the landscapes of the White Peak and the Dark Peak, which reflect the underlying hard rock geology of the Carboniferous Limestone and the Millstone Grit respectively.

The Lower Courtyard

Throughout the region, this contrast is also apparent in its historic architecture – with the hard but brittle Carboniferous Limestone essentially being used for roughly coursed and squared walling and the more easily worked Millstone Grit reserved for the dressings.

Carboniferous Limestone and Millstone Grit

At Haddon Hall, originally built in the 11th century by William Peverel – the illegitimate son of William the Conqueror – the same pattern of construction using these stones can be seen in the various phases of building, from the 12th to the early 17th century.

Buttresses

The walls of the house and outer defences – with very substantial buttresses – are built in limestone, but Millstone Grit has been preferred for the structural elements, with plain late Elizabethan and Jacobean windows giving the south front much of its architectural character.

A squinch

Although the style of the masonry is essentially functional, a very unusual internal squint corner to the lower courtyard and a wide variety of gargoyles and grotesques shows that for one of the most powerful families in the country, money was no object.

Rainwater goods

Walking around the interior, it is the spectacularly carved woodwork that really catches the eye but – looking closely at the various doors, windows, thresholds, steps and paving stones – it becomes very clear that many of these are in desperate need of some sensitive restoration.

Haddon Hall - Geology

A general view of Haddon Hall

Having spent 6 months visiting various mediaeval churches and other ecclesiastical buildings in and around South Yorkshire - by bus - to investigate their construction history and to assess their potential for Geotourism, I took advantage of a hot, sunny day to visit Haddon Hall; however, even though this was meant to be a day off from work, the route from Sheffield to Haddon Hall passes through some spectacular landforms and it turned out to be a busman's holiday.

A geological map of the area around Haddon Hall

The bedrock geology of the area around Haddon Hall comprises the Lower Carboniferous Eyam Limestone Formation and the Longstone Mudstone, which are unconformably overlain by the Bowland Formation – mudstone, siltstone and sandstone of Upper Carboniferous age.

A view of the River Wye from Haddon Hall 

Here, the River Wye has exploited the relative physical weakness of the Bowland Formation and meanders around one of the knoll reefs that protrudes above the surrounding softer rocks - and upon which Haddon Hall is built. The British Geological Survey, in their memoir for the region, highlights a typical section that shows 1.9 metres of crinoidal limestone with a little chert.

An exposure of a knoll reef in the Eyam Limestone

This part of Derbyshire is also partly covered in Quaternary age till, which I once had the opportunity to observe in a thick section at the nearby Alport Quarry, whilst undertaking a survey of the RIGS in the Peak District National Park - to assess their conservation, aesthetic and educational value.

All Hallows Church - The Interior

Various polished stones

Having rejuvenated my professional interests in standing buildings archaeology, by thoroughly investigating St. Helen's church in Treeton, I have since visited more than 25 mediaeval churches in the last 6 months.

A fine monument

Knowing that very many of them are now generally locked, on several occasions these visits have had to be by prior appointment - but I have also been surprised to visit a church speculatively and find that it was open when I expected it to be closed, and vice-versa.

Despite my attempts to gain access to the interior of all the churches in Rotherham that I set out to visit this summer, there have been problems in contacting key holders and some of them are still yet to be explored; however, this intensive period of investigation of the geology, landscapes and historic buildings of this region has given me more than enough information – and photographs - to keep me busy for very many months.

Although the interior of All Hallows church in Harthill, with its splendid Italian marbles, still needs to be thoroughly investigated, I decided that it was time to have a break from old churches - for the time being - and made plans to visit Haddon Hall instead.

A view of limestone and sandstone in the nave and chancel arch

All Hallows Church - Limestone

All Hallows Church - The South Chapel

Taking a quick look at the exterior of All Hallows church in Harthill, it is essentially built of mottled varieties of “Rotherham Red” sandstone, with limestone used for windows and dressings.

An original 13th century window

In the south chapel, large blocks of squared limestone also constitute a large proportion of the walling stone and have been randomly mixed with blocks of “Rotherham Red” sandstone, which suggests that an older structure has been recycled.

Limestone and Sandstone

Surveying the fabric much more closely, the various phases of “restoration” can be determined – from the rebuilding by Victorian architects to essential repairs undertaken in recent times – by examining the shape, size, tooling, the weathering and the colour of the blocks of stone.

Restored Windows - Permian Limestone and Jurassic Limestone

There has been no consistency in the materials used throughout its history of restoration, often with the local “Rotherham Red” sandstone and dolomitic limestone being mixed together or with one replacing another, as seen in the buttresses to the tower and other places.

A view of the restored buttresses to the tower

As I have discovered, when undertaking an extremely thorough investigation of St. Helen's church in Treeton, it takes hydrochloric acid and scratch tests - at least - to determine the provenance of these various stones.