The street was named after the Common Hall of Pleas  which was built in the 13th Century.  Led by Chester Renaissance the project to develop the street is part of the vision of creating an ‘artisan quarter’ in the city centre.

The image opposite show how the street looked prior to the new work being carried out.

The new design of the street was more reconstruction than a new design.

Guidance for the new layout of the street was derived from old photographic images from the 1920′s and a painting from the 1880′s.

Rita Waters, Chief Executive of Chester Renaissance, said: “We are delighted that, following discussions with traders and businesses, these improvement works to the entrance of Commonhall Street will enhance the area and we hope will contribute positively to the trading environment of the area.”

Photograph by: Marina Cook from her book Stone Walls: Personal Boundaries

I stumbled across this post on the Radio 4 Today website which has a slide show of photographer Marina Cook’s work on stone walls from her book “Stone Walls: Personal Boundaries”. More images are available on the website here.  There is a slide show of some beautiful images of drystone walls taken by Marina Cook.  Also there are some lovely pictures of stone walls taken by Radio 4 Today show listeners.  Is it possible to take an interesting photograph of a wall?  In my opinion yes, the natural form of the stone with the skill of craftsman illustrates the relationship we have with the natural environment.

The pub garden at the Cartford Inn

The pub garden is located at the rear of the inn with walls on three sides with an open aspect that provides a lovely view of the river Wyre and the fields and woods beyond. Existing stone was used along with reclaimed York stone to create a traditional court yard design. With respect to the age of the property there is an eclectic mix of building styles and materials used. As such the paving stones used complement the old and new building.

Reclaimed York stone internal paving

The inn has some excellent examples of reclaimed York stone and demonstrates how

stunning the material can look when used inside. The entrance to the inn has some beautiful examples of old worn reclaimed York stone paving and shows how evocative the stone can be of old world charm. With and earthy paint scheme and some classic leather furniture the entrance to the inn is warm and inviting.

The restaurant is tastefully decorated with lots of artwork and a ragtag assortment of antique furniture. All of which works well with the reclaimed York stone floor. Reclaimed stone can vary significantly in texture so to ensure a flat even surface we had to hand pick and clean the stone we supplied. We also had to choose stone that was moderately the same colour. The end result is a very good example of how good quality reclaimed York stone paving can look when laid inside.

The Cartford Inn is and award winning pub managed by Julie and Patrick Beaume. The inn is listed in the 2012 Good Food Guide, The 2012 Michelin Eating out in pubs guide. For more information visit their website at http://www.thecartfordinn.co.uk.

Browns Dental Practice - Architect Stephen Shepherd

It’s fantastic to see that architects and clients are looking towards building with natural materials like wood and especially stone.  If you are passionate about architecture then I recommend you watch the video from the link below, there are some truly stunning examples of new British architecture.

via BBC iPlayer – The Culture Show: 2011/2012: The RIBA’s Best Buildings of 2011 Special.

Riven York Stone Video

The New Riven stone we supply has been quarried and crafted in Yorkshire and is 100% authentic York Stone paving.  Call Lee today on 01995 600 551 today these stocks won’t last long.

Nowadays precast stone is used extensively throughout the building industry and is made to high standards allowing for easy manufacture, durability and strength.  Yet for all its benefits can precast stone better locally sourced quarried natural stone?  The building stone we quarry is locally sourced stone and has been used widely in the cottages, farm houses, civic buildings and stately homes that surround us.  Where the stone has specific tones, colour bands and patterns can a manufactured product compete with natural stone? Moreover price is not really an issue, admittedly very intricate stone work can be more expensive compared to using a precast mould however, building stones such as cills, lintels, copings and steps can be made from natural stone at comparable prices.

What are the deciding factors when choosing natural stone or precast stone, I can only think that its a matter of convenience.  Both natural and precast stone have proven to be durable lasting for hundreds of years and in most cases cost should not be considered an issue as natural stone can be supplied at comparable prices.  My only conclusion is that there is a misunderstanding about natural stone in terms of its cost and availability. All things being equal given the choice would you choose a piece of reproduction furniture over the origional?

York stone rockery and waterfall

York stone rockery stones

At stoneuk we have large quantities of York stone rocks. We have one ton bags available from £50 excluding VAT and delivery. For more information call us on 01995 600 551, because we have our own quarry we can supply large quantities of rockery stone from smaller rocks or if you want something really impressive why not have a huge boulder for a feature stone.

Not quite what you were looking for?  Why not look at our range of cobbles and setts on our website.  Click here for some inspirational ideas.

An example of a silver reclaimed granite cube