Welsh Slate Roofing
Welsh Slate Roofers
Welsh Blue Slate Roofers
Here at Heritage Roofing Services, we are proud to offer a re-slating service using the highest quality reclaimed Welsh Blue slates. All slates are carefully sourced and then individually checked by hand for fractures or faults, and then graded into thicknesses and re-holed with a slate punch by hand before use. Welsh Blue slate is an extremely durable product. The natural tone of the slate will never lose its colour and has a lifespan of over 100 years from new. It is naturally waterproof and is unaffected by temperature extremes.
We have years of experience with all types of natural slate such as Welsh, Westmoreland, Burlington, Switherland, Spanish, and a range of other naturally quarried slates. Natural slate offers exceptional durability, so this makes it an ideal roofing material for your home.
Why choose a Blue Slate Roof
Welsh slate has been mined for over 1800 years. Its history can be traced back to the 12th century, to a Roman Fort in Caernarfon.
These distinctive, high-quality slates began their life 500 million years ago on an ancient sea floor, where they were geologically classed as deep-water mudstones. The rocks / mudstones later lifted and evolved to form slates.
Welsh slate deposits are found in three geological areas – the Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian. The slate was found in assorted colours and compositions, depending on where it had been quarried. Penrhyn Quarry – a Heather Blue slate, Cwt-y-Bugail – a Dark Blue Grey slate, and Blanenau Ffestiniog – a Blue Grey slate.
A brief history of Welsh Slate
12th Century – Caernarfon Roman Fort. Roof tiles were found.
15th Century – 1413 Penrhyn Quarry – first evidence of slate quarrying.
16th & 17th Century – slates were beginning to be transported further afield than the local areas. There are records of export to Ireland from the Welsh ports.
18th Century – this was a turning point for Welsh slate. Employing over 500 workers and producing 15,000 tonnes of slate per year. Larger sized slates were introduced to the market.
19th Century – the introduction of the Ffestiniog railway line, constructed between 1833-1836 enabled huge growth for the mines. Enabling the product to be moved efficiently to be shipped.
20th Century – in 1900, a 3-year long dispute began, over pay and working conditions, this changed the mining community forever. Following the World Wars, the Great Depression and competition from roofing tiles the slate industry had been reduced to 22,000 tonnes per year in 1958.
Slate Quarries today
Today Penrhyn Quarry is one of the only quarries still producing slate.
The Welsh slate quarries played a significant part in Welsh history, supplying not only the finest quality slate to customers worldwide, but also creating jobs for local people – from the Iron Age to the present day.
Like Collyweston slates, Welsh slates had names associated to them by the quarrymen, depending on the size of the slate: Queen, Princess, Duchess, Marchioness, Countess, Viscountess, Wide Lady, Broad Lady, Lady, Small Lady, Narrow Lady, Header, Double and Single.
OUR SERVICES
Collyweston Slate
Heritage Roofing Services use traditional methods for Collyweston Stone Slate roofing.
Blue Slate
We offer all services related to Blue Slate roofs, from re-slating to repairs and maintenance.
Pantiles
Traditional to the East of England, clay pantiles have been used for centuries.
Bradstone Cotswold
Conservation Slates, closely resemble Collyweston in appearance
RECENT PROJECTS
Welsh Slate Barrowden
Situated in the stunning Rutland village of Barrowden, this attractive 1860’s home required its Blue slate roof re-slating. Once the roof had been stripped back to the rafters, we boarded out the attic space for the customer, making the roof space a safe storage...
Welsh Blue Slate Little Bytham
Nestled in the heart of the village, between two viaducts, is this lovely family home which required its Blue slate roof re-slating. Approximately 50% of the blue slates from the original roof were re-used, along with additional reclaimed blue slates, to make a...
Blue Slate Roof Market Deeping Property
This Grade II listed home in Market Deeping was last slated in the 1970/80’s and has been repaired multiple times over the years. The roof had reached the point where repairs were no longer viable, and we had the pleasure is re-slating the blue slate roof, front and...