The Building Stone of the Local Churches article was written by Jane Worrall.

Jane is a member of the Oxfordshire Geology Trust which is dedicated to protecting and promoting our rich earth heritage.

Blewbury Church - Image © Bernard Mattimore

Before man-made bricks and tiles became available our churches were built from local materials; timber, lime, mud and flint. Stone was imported mainly from quarries in Oxfordshire.
After reading this article it will be impossible to walk past any of our village churches without scrutinising the stone walls both outside and in. Each stone harbours so much information: how it was formed millions of years ago, where it came from and how it was quarried and transported. Also how it reacts to or resists weathering.