Bath Stone
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Geological Formation of Bath Stone
Bath Stone is a type of limestone widely used as a building stone in England, particularly in the city of Bath. The stone is renowned for its distinctive creamy-yellow color, which weathers to a pale honey-brown over time. Bath Stone is one of the most famous and widely used building stones in England and is found in many significant buildings across the country.
Geological Age Range
Bath Stone is a Jurassic limestone formed during the Middle Jurassic period, around 167 to 174 million years ago (BGS, 2021). It was formed in a shallow, warm, tropical sea that covered much of what is now southern England.
Lithological Description
Bath Stone is a micritic limestone, composed mostly of fine grains of calcium carbonate, with small amounts of siliciclastic material, such as clay, silt, and sand. It is characterized by its even texture and the presence of small, fossilized fragments of marine organisms, such as crinoids, brachiopods, and corals (BGS, 2021). Bath Stone varies in thickness, with some layers being as much as 30 meters thick, while others are only a few meters thick (BGS, 2021).
Geographical Limits and Alternative Names
Bath Stone is found in the Bath and Cotswold regions of southwestern England, and also occurs in smaller quantities in other parts of the country. Other names for Bath Stone include Bath Oolite, Bath freestone, Bath limestone, and Combe Down Stone (BGS, 2021).
Use in Buildings
Bath Stone has been used in many famous buildings, including the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, and the Royal Crescent in Bath. It was also used in the construction of Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Buckingham Palace in London.
Some bath stones
| Bath oolite | Avon Buildings – Bristol, Bath (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-avon/); |
| Bath stone | Avon Buildings – Bristol, Bath (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-avon/); Berkshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-berkshire/); Buckinghamshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-buckinghamshire/); Cambridgeshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-cambridgeshire/); Hampshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-hampshire/); Hertfordshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-hertfordshire/); Norfolk Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-norfolk/); Suffolk Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-suffolk/); Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Chalfield Oolite | Avon Buildings – Bristol, Bath (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-avon/); Gloucestershire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-gloucestershire/); |
| Hartham Park Stone | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Stoke Ground | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Westwood Ground | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Building using this stone (from Building Stones of England English Heritage – excel file) | |
| Bath oolite | Avon Buildings – Bristol, Bath (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-avon/); |
| Bath stone | Avon Buildings – Bristol, Bath (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-avon/); Berkshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-berkshire/); Buckinghamshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-buckinghamshire/); Cambridgeshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-cambridgeshire/); Hampshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-hampshire/); Hertfordshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-hertfordshire/); Norfolk Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-norfolk/); Suffolk Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-suffolk/); Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Chalfield Oolite | Avon Buildings – Bristol, Bath (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-avon/); Gloucestershire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-gloucestershire/); |
| Hartham Park Stone | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Stoke Ground | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Westwood Ground | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
| Stone Name | Building Stones of England (English Heritage Regional Stone Atlases) |
| Bath stone | Avon (Bristol Bath) stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-bristol-bath-surrounding-areas/bse-bristol-bath-surrounding-areas/); Bedfordshire stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-bedfordshire/bse-bedfordshire/); Berkshire stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-berkshire/bse-berkshire/); Cambridgeshire stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-cambridgeshire/bse-cambridgeshire/); Essex stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-essex/bse-essex/); Hampshire stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-hampshire/bse-hampshire/); Hertfordshire stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-hertfordshire/bse-hertfordshire/); Merseyside stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-merseyside/bse-merseyside/); Norfolk stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-norfolk/bse-norfolk/); Somerset stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-somerset-exmoor/bse-somerset-exmoor/); Suffolk stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-suffolk/bse-suffolk/); Surrey stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-surrey/bse-surrey/); West Sussex stones (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-west-sussex/bse-west-sussex/); Wiltshire stone (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-wiltshire/bse-wiltshire/); |
| Westwood Ground | Wiltshire stone (https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/building-stones-england-wiltshire/bse-wiltshire/); |
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References:
British Geological Survey. (2021). Bath Stone. Retrieved from
Further reading
Wooster. P .(1978) The stone industry at Bath. BIAS JOURNAL No 11 1978 https://b-i-a-s.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/BIAS_Journal_11_STONE_INDUSTRY_BATH.pdf