 Mattersey
All Saints
Stonework
The medieval All Saints’ Church at Mattersey stands on rocks of Triassic
age (Sherwood Sandstone Group). However, this succession does not generally
yield good building stone and so many of the churches in the area have imported
their building materials from further afield. All Saints’ is no exception. The
church is almost completely built of large ashlar blocks of dolomitic limestone
from the Cadeby Formation (formerly called Lower Magnesian Limestone) of Upper
Permian geological age. The limestones are pale yellow-buff in colour when
fresh, commonly coarse grained and show a variety of sedimentary structures
including low angled cross-bedding and lamination. The limestones show variable
grain types ranging from very coarse, rounded peloids (algal lumps) to occasional
shell fragments and spheroidal ooidal grains. Some of the blocks are finely
recrystallized with no obvious grains evident.
The only other stones varieties present in the building are those that have
been used for repair work. They principally include pale yellow, ooidal and
bioclastic (shelly) Middle Jurassic Lincolnshire limestone (probably Ancaster
Stone) used to repair window mouldings and in the columns either side of the
porch entrance. A carved block of white, fine grained, Upper Permian Cadeby
Formation limestone has been recently used inside the porch, probably from
Cadeby Quarry.
Source of the Cadeby Limestone in the church
Local information suggests that the limestone used in the church was recycled
from the nearby priory buildings at the Gilbertine Mattersey Priory. If this
is accepted, which from the size and quality of the blocks used seems a strong
possibility; it still leaves open the question as to where the priory stone
was original quarried. The nearest local source of Cadeby dolomitic limestones
is a few kilometres to the west between Maltby and Anston. In the past this
area has been heavily quarried for building stone. The colour, textures and
mineralogy of the church limestone suggest a likely source from former quarries
in the Maltby - Roche area.
Roofing slates examined, lying on the ground, outside the church are green
Cumbrian slates probably from the Burlington quarries. However, most of the
visible roofing is purple Welsh slate from the Penrhyn quarries in North Wales
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