prize9-8, Exercise 2: A local stone (sample: Edinburgh sandstone)

Model answer (check the details):

Rock family: sedimentary. Formed from sand grains laid down in ancient rivers or deserts, buried and cemented. A geological map would show the sandstone formation by colour and age, and the nearest outcrops and old quarries, so you can see where it was probably taken from. Historic quarries are marked, and the Survey memoirs describe them.

Check: the formation name, its age, and whether the stone in a given building was local or imported.

Care: stone for individual buildings is best checked in building records.