Cotswold Stone Tiles - Our approach

As owners of traditional Cotswold properties will know, the maintenence and repair of a stone roof can be costly and where the slates are badly laminated and decayed, the issue of replacement arises. Quite often as much as 40-50% of the roofs tile will be unusable so there are two main options available: Either find suitable reclaimed slates to match and make good the roof or re-roof with new materials.
Commonly, the decision comes down to cost and, unless restricted by planning, the stone tiles are sold with the money going towards new, mass produced materials such as concrete tiles or imported slates.
At Winchcombe Reclamation, we try our upmost to conserve this traditional material; re-dressing those secondhand stone tiles that come in to us to make them usable once more. However, original Cotswold stone tiles are becoming increasingly harder to find.
There are a handful of quarries throughout the Cotswolds producing new Cotswold stone tiles but the quality of the 'presents' can vary. There is also now a flood of imported alternatives on the market too.

Winchcombe Reclamation are specialist suppliers of reclaimed cotswold stone tile with a knowledge of both the product and its application. We stock various stone tiles in large quantities and also try to keep good runs of reclaimed stone ridge.
Our approach may be different to other suppliers. Rather than selling the stone slates as they come off the roof (mixed sizes, varied quality) our stock is sorted, measured, re-drilled if needed and re-dressed ready for use. This means that we work on very little or no waste and generates less labour for the roofer; preventing them from having to spend time sorting through a mixed cage to measure what tiles they have on site.
We can supply just the tiles that you need whether it is for a small repair job or a complete re-roof. A free site visit and consultation will enable us to provide a full quote for your project and a batten schedule can be provided if needed.

We also purchase cotswold stone tiles that are due to be removed, stripping the roof ourselves if required.

Cotswold Stone Tiles - An Introduction

Since Roman times, natural stone has been used as a roof covering and today many areas of England use local stone for this purpose. The Cotswold stone tile is a particularly recognizable material, seen throughout the picturesque villages of the area. Small villages of Cotswold stone builidngs nestle within the landscape and the use of the same stone on the roofs enforces the vernacular style.
Laid in diminishing courses, these tiles add texture and, being exposed to the elements more so than the building itself, weather to a darker colour; naturally picking up lichens and moss.

Originally used on all buildings from Manor houses to pigsties, these limestone slates or 'slats' as they were locally known, were produced throughout the Cotswolds. From the collywestons found up in Northamptonshire to the thinner Oxfordshire Stonesfield slates, the production of stone roof tiles was prolific from as early as the Sixteenth century.
The main difference amongst these tiles, apart from slight regional variants in the stone itself, is the way in which they are produced. A Stonesfield slate is made by letting the newly quarried stone tiles or 'presents' frost and naturally split creating a generally thinner, flatter tile whereas the Forest Marble Slates would be split by hand giving a heavier, rougher trimmed tile such as those found in the Tetbury area. Over time 'Stonesfield slates' has become a generic term used to refer to all thinner stone tiles and 'Tetbury Tile' is commonly used to describe those of a heavier nature.

Cotswold stone slates are laid in diminishing courses, decreasing in size towards the ridge of the roof. Timber laths / battens are fixed along the roof and the tiles would be hung from these; traditionally using handmade oak pegs. Slates were originally sorted by their size against a 'slatters rule' or 'whippet stick'- a handmade timber rule with notches cut out of it to show both tile lengths and thickness of stone. All sizes of stone slates had their own colloquial names such as 'cussoms', 'long becks', 'short becks' and 'short cocks'.
The larger tiles ('Cussoms') are thos found at the eaves of the roof and their overhang was ideal for throwing water clear from the building - an effective method before the introduction  of guttering. 'Short cocks' were the smallest sized tiles, available in large numbers and used at the highest point of the roof elevation.
Some of our 'older' customers may still occassionally refer to Cotswold slates using such names but today Cotswold stone tiles are generally measured in inches from the peg hole (found around 1" from the top of the tile) to the base.

Reclaimed cotswold stone

Winchcombe Reclamation is one of the biggest suppliers of reclaimed cotswold stone in the area. Our stocks include large volumes of this reclaimed limestone from dry stone walling to top quality freestone and ashlar.
The limestone belt runs right through the Cotswolds (from Dorset to Lincolnshire) and there are many variations in colouring and composition of the stone. Just driving through the local Cotswold villages, you will notice colouring from pale cream, through warm honey colour to a darker orange.
We try to carry a varied stock at any one time but can also source regional variations of reclaimed cotswold stone to match your project - simply give us a suitable lead in time and provide a sample to match if possible.

Our stone may be self selected if required or hand sorted by ourselves and we are able to crop stone to required sizing.

reclaimed cotswold building stone

Winchcombe Reclamation & Padstow Reclamation Merge

Press Release  08.05.12:
"Winchcombe Reclamation Ltd purchased Padstow Reclamation in December 2010 and the two traded as seperate companies. It was always a bit confusing that Padstow Reclamation's yard was in the heart of the West Midlands so to reduce admin costs and offer both sets of customers the best possible range of products and services, we have merged the two companies. You will notice WR which stands for both Winchcombe and Wombourne Reclamation will lead on all our promotional material and our website name is now shorter and easier to spell!"
www.wr.uk.com

Time to catch up.....

So, it's been a while! Im afraid the blog has been somewhat neglected recently as we have been focusing on other things - not a good enough excuse I know but we really are back with avengence!

 In this time we have been busy updating our website, joined forces with Padstow Reclamation in Wolverhampton, been involved in demolition / deconstruction projects, joined the social networking scene, surrounded ourselves with a great deal of new and exciting stock, participated in exhibitions and of course supplied quality reclaimed building materials to projects throughout the Cotswolds and beyond.

See below for a selection of posts updating you with exactly whats been going on and please stay in touch to view more frequent posts from us.....

All about....

We wanted a way in which to share our knowledge and experience of reclaimed building materials with our customers so have now included a range of articles on our website covering various subjects. See sneak peeks below:

Reclaimed Timber

Reclaimed Timber
Visitors to our Yard at Winchcombe walk into our main showroom to be confronted by 80 or more reclaimed Oak, Elm and Pitch pine beams all waxed, polished and standing upright.  These beams stand between 11 foot and 21 foot high and some are 9 inches by 9 inches cross section.  So they are regularly greeted with a reverent "wow", some visitors even feel the need to touch and place their palms on these cooked honey coloured timbers.  Even I, who see them on a daily basis, occasionally find myself absent minded touching them as I walk past.......Read More...

Reclaimed Bricks

Reclaimed Bricks
So, a brick's 'just a brick' right? Wrong.
A stroll around the reclaimed brick yard at Winchcombe Reclamation will open your eyes to a varied stock of differnt bricks. Heres a small introduction....... 
Brick manufacture:
Bricks are composed of sand, clay and water. Often mixed by hand in the past, the result was generally unevenly mixed and , when fired, produced subtle variations both in colour and texture.....Read More...

Reclaimed Cotswold Stone

 Reclaimed Natural Stone
Natural stone for our part of the world at WR, primarily means Cotswold stone as we are situated in Winchcombe, the heart of the Cotswolds.
Cotswold stone is a limestone which is a sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate. It most commonly forms in clear, warm, shallow marine waters; usually from an accumalation of shells, eggs, corals and fecal debris - bear in mind that the limestone used for building projects today was formed tens of millions of years ago....Read More...

Reclaimed Clay Tiles

Reclaimed Clay Roofing Products
Are you about to enter the minefield that is roof tiles and fittings for the first time? At WR we stock a wide range of varied roof products but are heavily into our clay products, not only as we feel they are another quality reclaimed item, but as they are also so vital to all our customers up and down the country to keep their most treasured asset; their homes, in the best condition possible...Read More...

Keep checking our website as these pieces will be added to and new articles will be added.

Homebuilding & Renovating Show

We were happy to be involved with the Homebuilding & Renovating Show, teaming up with the guys from Coxs yard to create a pitch at this years event. Being our first time at this exhibition, we didn't really know what to expect but we had a large pitch (in a prime location by the bar & food halls!) and were able to display many of our products.
Within an exhibition which showcases so much in the way of modern design ideas and hi tech gadgets, our stand of reclaimed building materials really stood out and we had a steady stream of visitors over the 4 days.
Response was really positive and we feel it was a worthwhile event so you may see us there again same time next year, flying the flag for the use of reclaimed materials, not only for restoration projects and period buildings but also within the modern construction market.