Historic Environment Record
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HER 4000 - Chaldon Firestone Quarries: Chaldon Bottom Working, Rockshaw Entrance Pits
Rockshaw Main pit and Rockshaw east pit are two of the twelve entrance pits to the Chaldon firestone quarries, of which five have survived untouched or only partially filled. These medieval pillar and stall stone quarries have 16km of underground galleries. it is thought that these are the stone mines listed in the Domesday book under the mannor of Limpsfield. The quarry working 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 since they were abandoned, by reworking or secondary use. These underground quarries were the source of much of the `Reigate stone', used for building in medieval London, as an alternative to Caen stone from Normandy. The workings are draft mines, working down dip, up 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.
| Record Type | Monument |
|---|---|
| Protection Status |
|
| Condition | Good |
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| Grid Reference | TQ 314 535 |
|---|---|
| Parish | Bletchingley |
| Parish (old) | Bletchingley |
| District | Tandridge, Surrey |
| Map Square | TQ35SW |
| Evidence Type | Monument Type | Date Range: |
|---|---|---|
| Finds: other metalwork Mineral extraction Site | FINDSPOT | Medieval Not Known Post Medieval Medieval 1066-1540 Not Known Post Medieval Post 1540 |
Related Records
| Details | Volume | Holding Information | Publisher Information | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ref: Firestone Quarry and Hearthstone Mine sites in East Surrey Ref: 31/12/92 | 27, 137 | |||
|
Ref: A Guide to the Industrial History of Surrey Ref: 31/12/90 Ref: General editor G Crocker ISBN 0950844845 | Surrey HER1 part | 27, 137 | ||
|
Ref: Surrey Archaeological Society Bulletin Ref: 01/11/86 | 215 | Surrey HER1 part | 27, 137 | |
|
Ref: Surrey Archaeological Collections Ref: 31/12/87 | 78 | Surrey HER1 part | 27, 137 |
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