About Us | Forest Pennant Sandstone Quarry Masters & Masons

Our Home

Nestled between the Wye Valley, Vale of Leadon and the Severn Valley the Forest of Dean is one of England’s oldest surviving woodlands. The inspiration for many artists and writers, including JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien and the dramatist Dennis Potter, it is a magical place. Long revered for its wildlife, landscape, history and Royal patronage the Forest of Dean also boasts a proud mining and mineral heritage.

‘There is little to record concerning the early history of the Forest of Dean Quarries, but appearances would lead to the belief that they are of great antiquity. There is evidence that some of the Quarries were worked by the Romans…’ Extraction from United Stone Firms publication. Republished 2012 (Forest of Dean Stone Firms Ltd)

Our site

Barnill Quarry sits at the head of Bixslade, close to Broadwell village. Our office and production plant, Bixslade Stoneworks is around a mile away, next to Cannop Ponds. The man-made ponds were built in 1825 and 1829 to create a head of water to drive a wheel at the ironworks at Parkend. Today we use the ponds to power our micro hydro turbine generating electricity for our works.

Our site

Barnill Quarry sits at the head of Bixslade, close to Broadwell village. Our office and production plant, Bixslade Stoneworks is around a mile away, next to Cannop Ponds. The man-made ponds were built in 1825 and 1829 to create a head of water to drive a wheel at the ironworks at Parkend. Today we use the ponds to power our micro hydro turbine generating electricity for our works.

Our Production

Our stoneworks operates from a site just a mile away from our quarry, Barnhill. With continued significant investment the business and works has been transformed over the past decade.

The introduction of modern, high-tech cutting and processing equipment has enabled us to increase capacity and improve capability. Combined with traditional masonry skills, we enable architects and designers to create imaginative and innovative schemes using indigenous natural Pennant sandstone. And, when we launched our Forest Pennant paving, we invested in a dedicated paving line, producing high quality hard landscaping products accurately and efficiently. We were also the first natural stone company in the UK to purchase a Pellegrini Pentawire - this multi-wire saw is fast and gives us unrivalled flexibility.

Our Stonemasons

Masonry is the cornerstone of our business. Since its inception in the Victorian era, Forest of Dean Stone Firms has held a reputation for producing high quality masonry products. Our team of dedicated, qualified stonemasons and bankermasons use their extraordinary skill and expertise to bring designs to life. Set out on templates and bed moulds they use traditional masonry tools and modern-day power tools to craft and create bespoke stone work for projects, from site-based masonry to ecclesiastical works, across the UK.

Our masonry team works in a purpose built bankershop with an in-built dust extraction system at our stoneworks on Cannop Road in Parkend, Gloucestershire.

Our Stonemasons

Masonry is the cornerstone of our business. Since its inception in the Victorian era, Forest of Dean Stone Firms has held a reputation for producing high quality masonry products. Our team of dedicated, qualified stonemasons and bankermasons use their extraordinary skill and expertise to bring designs to life. Set out on templates and bed moulds they use traditional masonry tools and modern-day power tools to craft and create bespoke stone work for projects, from site-based masonry to ecclesiastical works, across the UK.

Our masonry team works in a purpose built bankershop with an in-built dust extraction system at our stoneworks on Cannop Road in Parkend, Gloucestershire.