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Picture Gallery 2

This workman in the Hopton-Wood Stone quarry at Middleton has been set the task of reducing this block to manageable proportion.  Blocks up to 14 feet long have been known to be extracted!

When this block was felled from the Hopton-Wood Stone quarry face it was calculated to have weighed 282 tons. The quarryman is drilling a series of holes along the line he intends to break it at by inserting sets of plugs and feathers.  After they have been fitted he will strike them gradually home along the line to set up a tension in the block that will split it evenly to a manageable size that can be easily sawn.

It wasn't always possible to produce even shaped blocks.  This one would have created a lot of waste during the cutting process.

  No doubt all the mis-shapen blocks were tidied away before the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1938!

This altar was produced for Derby cathedral.

This kerbed hearth was typical of the everyday articles produced by the firm.

This street furniture, of Art Deco style is a little more unusual though.

Send mail to jeremy@jeremyhewitt.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2001 Jeremy Hewitt
Last modified: May 14, 2002

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