Geology Site Account
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All Saints Church has a rather curious connection with geology. There is a record that in the early 19th century a mammoth shoulder blade, three feet in length, and a mammoth rib from the Ilford brick pits were propped up against an altar tomb at the eastern end of the church. There is no record of how they came to be here or who donated them. It has been suggested that Antonio Brady (see site record for the Ilford brick pits) may have seen these fossils when he was married here in 1837, thus sparking an interest that was eventually to lead to him assembling the greatest collection of Ice Age mammal fossils in Britain.
The structure of All Saints Church is mostly brick but the 15th century tower of is of some geological interest as it is a rare example of the extensive use of Reigate Stone although it has been restored and patched in places using other types of stone. Reigate stone, or firestone, is a calcareous, fine-grained sandstone which was obtained from extensive underground quarries in the Lower Greensand beds near Reigate in Surrey. These mines have long ago ceased operation but the underground galleries are still in existence beneath the North Downs. Reigate stone should not be confused with the much more common Kentish Rag which was obtained from opencast quarries in Kent and commonly used in the construction of London churches. The tower of St. Margaret’s Church in Barking is another example of the use of Reigate Stone.
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Reference: Sowan 1980, George 1999 (p.17)
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