On the industrial value of the building stones from Beer Quarries, Devonshire

Abstract

A specimen of the Beer ‶freestone″ was exhibited at the meeting on 19th December, and attracted general attention. Its texture was compact; it would evidently be very easily chiselled; and its colour was perfectly white. Several Fellows thought it excelled in beauty and quality the Caen stone so largely used in Edinburgh for internal masonry, and the Secretary was directed to request Mr Linford to give further particulars regarding its industrial cost and value. Mr Linford reported that the price of the stone at the quarry is 10d. to 1s. per cubic foot, and that the supply is unlimited. The expense of transit, however, of the stone is considerable, there being no quay at Beer (one mile and a quarter from the quarries), although one could easily be constructed at Beerhead; and the nearest railway station being two miles from the quarries at Seaton, on the London and South-Western Railway. The most eligible mode of transit at present for shipment of the stone would be to place it on the railway at Seaton, convey it to Exeter, and thence by the same railway company, and without removal from the trucks take it to Exmouth Docks for shipment. The probable cost of the stone and delivery at Leith would be— Cost of stone at quarry, 10d. to 1s. per foot, say = 16s. per ton. ‶Hauling″ from Beer to Seaton, 4½d. per foot, = 6s. ,, Rail, Seaton to Exmouth Docks, . . . 4s. ,, Freight, Exmouth to Leith, . . . . 8s. ,, Extras, . . . . . . . . 1s. ,, Cost per ton . . . 35s. = 2s. 2¼d. per foot. The stone is being largely used at present in the restoration of Exeter Cathedral under Sir Gilbert Scott, principally in the interior masonry. It is said to be good for external work if not exposed to the effect of the weather vertically; hence it is used for windows, doorways, &c., but not for coping, buttress slopes, sills, &c. The quarries form part of the ‶Rolle Estate,″ the property of the late Lord Rolle, and are now owned by his lordship’s trustees, whose agent is Mr R. H. Lipscombe of Budleigh Salterton. The tenant of the quarries is Mr Tucker of Colyton. Mr Linford acknowledged the kind and ready assistance he had received from the two latter gentlemen in preparing his report, as also his indebtedness for much information to Mr E. L. Luscombe, who is carrying out the restoration of the stone-work at the Exeter Cathedral under Sir Gilbert Scott.