Quarries

["Ian Marr" <ianmarr@zzzzzzzzzzz>]

The enquiry about English limestone led me to thinking about affection
for stones, localities, quarries, & the people who work them, who you
gradually get to know so well.Craig mentioned the "how' of knowing
places like the Clashach quarry at Hopeman in Scotland.For me, it
began in 1976, cycling through Scotland, having the occasional
epiphany, as you do at nineteen. (The Clashach quarry, by the way, is
above a low sea cliff, & looks out across the Moray Firth to the Black
Isle..Och!)

Ancient stone works like Sueno's stone, the brochs, the wonderful
stones of Callanish on the Isle of Lewis, & in Ireland, souteraines
and masterworks like the tumulus at Newgrange on the Boyne (this was
before it was renovated) or the Beltaine stone circle near Raphoe in
Co. Donegal: these things you can never forget.

The ancient connections to a particular stone are inspiring, but so
are the contemporary , like Hepworth, Moore, Gill with a stone like
Hopton Wood ( which Dr Tim Palmer mentioned :is it still available?).I
don't know about the USA, but I know it must be the same.

But stone in situ, be it ever so fine, isn't much good unless there's
a skilled outfit, & a sound business, with plenty of capital &
equipment there to dig it out & saw it up, so I, in turn, can do my
thing: I really value that at my main quarry at Mintaro in South
Australia.

Regards, Ian Marr
http://www.ianmarr.com.au/