This paper describes a research project on Reigate stone, undertaken by HistoricRoyal Palaces (HRP) over the last four years. 1 Reigate Stone was used extensively at the royal palaces from the medieval period, and is infamously nondurable. Reigate Stone was replaced with more durable stones, such as Bath Stone, in the nineteenth century, but more recently there have been efforts at conservation. To date, the HRP project has concentrated on gaining a more complete understanding of the nature of the stone, which is unique in the British Isles. The project has involved re-enteringthe abandoned underground quarries in East Surrey to take core samples, which have been analysed by various techniques. Results were incomplete at the time of writing Oune 2001), but much useful new information about the stone has been gained. Comparative treatment trials have gone ahead in recent months, in collaboration with US-based researchers. Further discussions with academics and practitioners are planned.
The worked stone, other than sarsen, was kindly examined macroscopically by
Mr R W Sanderson of the Petrological Department of the Institute of
Geological Sciences, and the following notes were compiled from his verbal
comments. Apart from the polished stone axes, the majority of the rocks are
not very distinctive in type, and except for a few specimens (eg S2, S15,
and S20 and possibly S3, S6, and S5), it has not been possible to identify
their sources.
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