Portland Stone: a nomination for "Global Heritage Stone Resource" from the United Kingdom

Abstract

Portland Stone, a well known ooidal limestone of Jurassic age from the United Kingdom is here nominated as a suitable "Global Heritage Stone Resource". Portland Stone is considered to ideally fit the newly proposed designation as it has been utilised since Roman times in England and since the Middle Ages in the construction of major historic buildings including St Pauls Cathedral, British Museum and Bank of England in London. It was also the preferred building stone of Sir Christopher Wren, England's most famous architect. The international use of Portland Stone during the 20th century includes the United Nations building in New York City and the war graves of British and British Commonwealth soldiers. Portland Stone also continues to be quarried today in an environmentally sensitive manner whilst coastal outcrops of the material form a part of the "Dorset and East Devon Coast" World Heritage area (aka The Jurassic Heritage Coast)

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