Slate roofs

[Bullshott]

I'm looking at making an English church, based on a surviving Saxon church, that I can use from the dark ages through to the mid 20th century. I would prefer to have just 1 set of roofs, without having to make thatched and tile roof sets to cover a 1100 year period, so was looking at the possibility of giving it a slate roof.

What is the earliest date that slate tiles might be used for roofing in England - i.e. could I get away with using slates on a 9th or 10th century church?

[Atheling]

The Romans    

Darrell.

[Bullshott]

The Romans  

Darrell.

I know romans used clay tiles. However, I'm looking at slate rather than preformed tiles, to match my slate roofed buildings from later periods. So when did slate start to be used across England as a roofing material?

[Atheling]

I know romans used clay tiles. However, I'm looking at slate rather than preformed tiles, to match my slate roofed buildings from later periods. So when did slate start to be used across England as a roofing material?

I'll take a wild stab in the dark and say the Late Middle Ages to (so called) Tudor periods.

A guess.

Darrell.

[Silent Invader]

Both of Darrell's answers were right! 

The Romans used slate in Wales and Conwy Castle was roofed with it in 13thc and Chester in 14th.  Most use seems to have been close to source.

From here:

http://www.llechicymru.info/IHist.english.htm

[Atheling]

Both of Darrell's answers were right! 

The Romans used slate in Wales and Conwy Castle was roofed with it in 13thc and Chester in 14th.  Most use seems to have been close to source.

From here:

http://www.llechicymru.info/IHist.english.htm

Pure genius 

Darrell.

[Silent Invader]

Pure genius 

Darrell.

Though I've just realised the question was about England and I answered for Wales.  OOOPS.

[Atheling]

Honourable Welsh genius then 

Darrell.

[NurgleHH]

As more influenced with knowledge about the saxons I remeber from my basic kowledge, that saxon and jutes never used slate roofs. They brought the thatched roof with them. after the big times of saxons they use burnt bricks over here. In the british areas I heard in my construction seminars about the roman influence and in late middleage using slate.So the beginning was burnt bricks like the romans. right?

[Skyven]

The Romans used slate tiles on some buildings along Hadrian's Wall.

[Atheling]

The Romans used slate tiles on some buildings along Hadrian's Wall.

"Yeah, but what did the Romans ever do for us?" 

Darrell.

[Harry Faversham]

"Yeah, but what did the Romans ever do for us?" 

Darrell.

  Killed the dinosaurs? 

[Big Martin Back]

Prior to the railways, slate roofs would largely only be found in areas close to where it was quarried due to the problems of transporting it in sufficient quantities. As the main slate producing area is North Wales, the use at Conwy castle is understandable.
Some other areas, like the Cotswolds, also used stone roofs by splitting the local oolitic limestone.
My suggestion is to do it with a split stone roof, not so dark as slate, which would fit with roofing traditions in numerous areas of England.

[Bullshott]

Thanks for the quick responses, as this church will be on of this year's projects (once I finish my great hall).

I don't think you could build a church that could cover that time span anyway.
If concern about what the roof is made of is enough to send you in a tizz then there are all sorts of architectural reasons that will make you faint.
Yes, some (still existing) English churches may date from the 10th century, but they have been substantially added to over the centuries. They would be unrecognisable to their creators.

Regarding Saxon churches still used as such in the 20th century, there is a small Saxon chapel whose exterior (other than the roof) is to the original design in Wareham (only a few miles from where I live). However, the design I'm actually looking at is one in Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire on a much grander scale, again still with much of its exterior to the original design:



... which appears to be the basis for this design by Timeline Miniatures:



I'm going to have to do a fair bit of work giving the exterior a decent stone effect, so I was hoping that I could get away with not thatching it (a messy and time-consuming job to get it to the standard I want). However, it now looks like I'll have to do the thatching and (at a later date) do a tiled roof too.

[OSHIROmodels]

Why not do a timber slatted roof. Perfectly feasible 

cheers

James