Historic Environment Record
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HER 1263 - Chaldon Firestone Quarries: Chaldon Bottom Workings
The Chaldon Bottom Workings are medieval pillar and stall stone quarries, which have 16km of accessible underground galleries. It is thought that these are the stone pits listed in the Domesday Book under the manor of Limpsfield. The quarries provided building material for local use, and for major civil engineering works in London and the Thames Valley including Westminster Palace and Abbey. The workings have not been damaged after abandonment by reworking or secondary uses. Of the original 12 entrance pits, 5 have survived untouched, or only partially filled. It is one of the best accessible sites in England. These underground quarries were the source of much of the `Reigate Stone' used for building in medieval London, as an a alternative to Caen stone from Normandy. The workings are drift mines, worked down dip, to the water table and then extended along the strick forming a network of pillars and stalls. It was not reworked for hearthstone and some of the older galleries are covered with calcite formations. See HER 3981,3998,3999,4000,4001 for Chaldon Bottom Workings Entrance pits.
| Record Type | Monument |
|---|---|
| Protection Status |
|
| Condition | Not Known |
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| Grid Reference | TQ 303 538 |
|---|---|
| Parish | Merstham |
| Parish (old) | Chaldon |
| District | Reigate & Banstead, Surrey |
| Map Square | TQ35SW |
| Evidence Type | Monument Type | Date Range: |
|---|---|---|
| SUBTERRANEAN STRUCTURE | QUARRY | Medieval Post Medieval Medieval 1066-1540 Post Medieval Post 1540 |
Related Records
- SHHER_1076
- SHHER_1262
- SHHER_1263
- SHHER_3981
- SHHER_3998
- SHHER_3999
- SHHER_4000
- SHHER_4000
- SHHER_4001
- SHHER_4583
- SHHER_4583
| Details | Volume | Holding Information | Publisher Information | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ref: Firestone Quarry and Hearthstone Mine sites in East Surrey Ref: 31/12/92 | 27 | |||
|
Ref: A Guide to the Industrial History of Surrey Ref: 31/12/90 Ref: General editor G Crocker ISBN 0950844845 | Surrey HER1 part | 27 |
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