Caithness CWS - Front Page Bulletins - October 2002

A & D Sutherland have been in business at Spittal quarry a very long time and only now decided it was time to use some of that stone to enhance the gateway to one of Caithness's oldest industries. the new walls on either side of the entrance to the large quarry would not have looked out of place a hundred years ago. Indeed the same skills in drystane walling are used to today.

The only difference is a bit more modern cutting machinery is used to speed up the edging on some of the stones.

Blending in is a brand new solid stone sign on either side so that drivers new to the area can find the quarry and its offices which are within the site. The firm has recently acquired new orders for the pavements of Lothian road in Edinburgh and another project in Newcastle, England. The qualities of Caithness stone are well known to anyone in the building trade. The quarries are lucky to have stone formed with few faults making for perfect paving that has already proven to last hundreds of years in place. If its strength and durability combined with long lasing effects then the subdued colours of this stone make it a first choice for many folk in the north for patios and driveways. There has been a return to folk using local stone for drystane walls to surround their garden or front walls and paths using this stone are back in demand for their natural look.

Now anyone passing through Spittal will see the new entrance walls ands signs and know where some of that stone is coming from.