Work on the Cascade Project reached an exciting milestone this month with the collection of raw stone that will play a key role in the restoration.
The stone was quarried in 2025 at Burntwood Quarry on the Estate and has since been kept in storage, ready for work on the project to begin. At the beginning of July, eight blocks were carefully collected and transported to the stone sawyers, marking the next important stage in the process.
Once cutting begins, the quality of each block can be fully assessed. This involves examining the stone for cracks, faults and other natural imperfections. The fewer defects present, the higher the yield from each block and the less material is lost during the cutting process, helping to minimise waste and make the most of this valuable Estate resource.
Some of the stone blocks being moved are believed to weigh as much as 12 tons each, highlighting the scale of the operation and the careful planning required to handle and process them safely.
It’s interesting to reflect on how, over 300 years ago, stone would have been quarried, moved, cut and dressed ready to create the Cascade in the late 1600s. This really is an exciting chapter in the Cascade’s history, and all of our donors are part of it.
With a significant amount of cutting and preparation ahead in the coming months, this latest development represents an important step forward in bringing the Cascade Project to life.
