The Bristol Black project

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About The Bristol Black project

This pool has been founded to try and draw together all examples of the wonderful construction material familiarly known as "Bristol Black".

For those not familiar with this distinctive building material it is unmistakable! It appears in the form of almost jet black blocks, sometimes almost purple, and often with a vaguely iridescent sheen. It was a by-product from Bristol's Georgian Brass industry. The molten slag from these foundries was compressed in molds to create a rock-hard block, impervious to water. It has been used as material in buildings, formed into shapes as coping for walls, and slag has also been used as a render material, sort of like a monstrous and over sized pebble-dash!

The classic example of this material in use is Arnos Vale's "Black Castle" once referred to by the politician Horace Walpole as "the Devil's Cathedral", and which forms the badge of this pool.

This group invites people to collect any image they know of this material being used. Images need not be pretty or artistic, but the lcation should be clearly identified in the title or description.

A study of this material has never been attempted before!!! We are the first! :-D

So help us document one of Bristol's most curious creations.