John Allen Howe's book, The Geology of Building Stones, written in 1910, was the first major reference work to feature information on the considerable range of building stones which were being used in the UK and which were still being quarried at that time. This important and useful publication, now reprinted by Donhead, offers very detailed information on the appearance and qualities of the various types of stone being used at that time, including granite, sandstones, limestones and other lesser known building stones, specific to certain geographical areas. It also includes a good introduction to the effects of stone decay, in particular the problems of pollution, frost and organic growth in the breakdown of stone. His chapter on testing of stone was very much ahead of its time, since nearly a century later Britain is only now starting to obtain its first standard tests for building stone, in the form of European Standards. This book will be a valuable source of reference for conservators, architects, surveyors, engineers and anyone seeking to identify stone in old or historic buildings.
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