Scotland’s building stones: over one thousand images now available online
New images of the BGS Building Stone Collection have been published.
06/07/2023 By BGS Press
Throughout history, natural stone has been the material of choice for Scotland’s traditional and architecturally important buildings. The geological diversity of the country means the built heritage is unique and varied from place to place.
Since 1835, BGS geologists have been collecting samples from building stone quarries all over the country and, in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, we have just completed a major effort to photograph them. We hold over one thousand samples in the BGS Building Stone Collection; the images have been published on the Building Stone Database for Scotland and GeoScenic websites.
Carboniferous sandstone from Hailes Quarry, Edinburgh. The upper surface has been left in its natural state, showing the uneven bedding surface. Such samples were prepared by the quarry in order to market the stone. This sample dates from before the First World War. BGS © UKRI.
The photos highlight the diversity of stone as a traditional building material in Scotland. Can you spot which stone your house, favourite building or local area is made from?
Precambrian (Dalradian) roofing slate quarried from Easdale Island, Argyllshire. The slate is a typical dark grey colour with a strong ‘grain’ and contains pyrite crystals. This specimen was donated to the Geological Survey of Scotland sometime before 1916. For hundreds of years, slate was the preferred roofing material in Scotland. The geological variation found in slate quarries from across Scotland meant that each produced a characteristic slate, with a colour, texture and thickness varying from region to region. BGS © UKRI.
Peterhead granite from Stirlinghill Quarry, Aberdeenshire. BGS © UKRI.
We hope the database will be a useful resource for anyone studying or working on stone buildings in Scotland. If you’re interested in learning more about the project, please contact the building stones database team (stonedatabase@bgs.ac.uk).
Timeline of Scottish building stones
3000 BCE
Skara Brae Neolithic village, Orkney, part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site.
600 CE
Dun Carloway broch, Isle of Lewis.
1150
Castle Sween, Argyll, said to be the oldest stone castle in Scotland.
1450
Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.
1628
George Heriot’s Hospital (now George Heriot’s School), Old Town, Edinburgh.
1767
New Town, Edinburgh, built in stages between 1767 and around 1850.
1900
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, built from Locharbriggs red sandstone.
2006
The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, clad in golden Moray sandstone.
Further information
- The Engine Shed: Scotland’s Building Conservation Centre @HESEngineShed
- @BGS_Collections
Relative topics
Related news
In photos: a volcanic field trip
31/08/2023
Volcanologist Samantha Engwell visited the Cascades in the United States to learn more about the 1980 Mount St Helens volcanic eruption.
Updated biosphere map for the UK released
07/07/2023
The updated biosphere map for the UK will allow users to identify sulphur isotope variations.
Scotland’s building stones: over one thousand images now available online
06/07/2023
New images of the BGS Building Stone Collection have been published.
The Stone of Destiny
03/05/2023
The origins of the Stone of Scone: where it came from, why BGS has crumbs of it in its collections and the little-known fact that it is upside down.
Exploring animal diets in Shakespeare’s London
31/03/2023
The ‘Box office bears’ project aims to understand more about the bears that were once a common sight in England. Prof Hannah O’Regan and Dr Lizzie Wright from the University of Nottingham explain what the project entails.
When did the cows come home?
23/02/2023
PhD student David Osborne is exploring Bronze Age animal husbandry using isotopes and X-rays.