Skills

Stone cutting at Denner Hill.

Denner Hill Stone was famous, primarily for cobblestones with which roads, sidewalks and buildings were paved.  They were known as “Denner Hill Setts”.    Its source was known as ‘Denner Hill Quarry’, but it was not a “quarry” as such.  The stones were located by driving a pole into the ground until stones were hit.  Then they were exposed by digging away the soil around them.   They were duly cut up in situ.   The hole left was then supposed to be filled back in.  Complaints were sometimes lodged regarding the failure to do this.   After many years it was becoming more difficult to find the stones, and in 1896,Thomas Bristow, a stone merchant, decided to start a brickworks and purchased Walters Ash Farm, the land there being good brickmaking clay.   In digging for clay the land was found to contain the same stones as those at Denner Hill.   Still calling it Denner Hill Stone, for that name was widely famous, his stone working business was started, trading as T. Bristow & Bros not only making setts but also many other commodities with the stone.

Stone cutting at Walters Ash Farm.