The layers then compacted into mudstone or shale. These piled up and formed layers called beds. In its earliest form, slate was created from fine grained sediments like mud and silt. “Tartan” slate from Aberfoyle Slate Quarries So how is this slate made? At one time, it was used as a marketing feature for Scottish slate. Some beds have a higher concentration of the iron oxide haematite which gives it a red/purple colour. This is caused by alternating sedimentary beds that have slightly different compositions. Interestingly, bands of different colours can also be seen on the same piece of slate. Similar to Macduff slate, it can vary in colour, from blues and greys to greens and purples. This slate was formed from fine grained mud. This means many of the buildings in Stirling and the rest of the Central Belt were built using Highland Boundary slate. Like Macduff slate, Highland Boundary slate was constrained to roofing local buildings due to the lack of suitable transport links. Highland Boundary slate can be found along The Highland Boundary Fault, which extends across Scotland from the Mull of Kintyre in the west to Stonehaven in the east, separating the middle of Scotland and the Highlands. It was quarried in many places such as Arran, Bute, Dunkeld and Aberfoyle. This slate has also been used in an artwork by Richard Long called the Macduff Circle, which can be found in the grounds of the Dean Gallery. They come from a mineral called chlorite.ĭue to the lack of suitable transport links back in the 18th century, Macduff slate remained in the North East, but can still be seen on local buildings today. The dark spots dotted throughout it are a unique characteristic of this slate. Generally blue or grey in colour, Macduff slate sometimes has a purple hue because of the presence of the iron ore haematite. You can even sometimes see small grains of quartz on the surface. It is coarse grained and has a rough and gritty texture. In comparison to Ballachulish and Easdale slate, Macduff slate is a bit rougher. This is where Macduff slate comes from, taking its name from the little seaside town of Macduff in Aberdeenshire. Macduff: The rough oneĪs well as slate islands, Scotland also had the “slate hills” of Kirkney, Corskie, Foundland, Tillymorgan and others in the North East of Scotland. While you’re there, have a read of the inscription of Sir Walter Scott’s “Heart of Midlothian”. You’ll also see it on the canongate wall of The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. These were formed by two pressures from different directions pushing minerals together, creating folds.Įasdale slate can be found on many of Scotland’s castles and cathedrals, including Cawdor Castle in Inverness-shire, Ardmaddy Castle in Lorn, and Glasgow Cathedral. This slate can be distinguished by its ripples or crinkles on the surface. The slate from Easdale is similar to Ballachulish because they both contain pyrite, or “fools gold”. In the Firth of Lorn, the “slate islands” were once at the centre of the British slate industry and are thought to be the place where the slate industry in Scotland began! Can you imagine that these idyllic islands once had a community of thousands working across several quarries? The slate from Easdale, one of the smallest of these islands, helped build major cities around the world. So if you spot one, know you’re seeing something quite special! Easdale: The ripple effect Slate gravestones are rare in comparison to sandstone, granite and marble. But did you know that this type of slate was once used to make gravestones? If the men working in the slate quarries found a particularly large and thick slab of slate, they would take it home with them and keep it propped outside of their house to be eventually used for their own grave. When you think of slate, roofs might only come to mind. It’s not uncommon to find golden cubic crystals of pyrite (commonly known as ‘fool’s gold’) within the slate. To look at, it’s grey and black with a sheen to its surface. This is the reason it dominated the Scottish slate industry for a hundred years. You can still see the disused quarries nearby as well as this slate in buildings across Scotland.īallachulish slate was formed under higher temperatures and pressures and contains more quartz grains than other regional slates, making it the strongest. Nestled among dramatic hills and beautiful scenery, the village of Ballachulish was once the “slate capital” of Scotland.
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