Riven bedded Blue Pennant for paving, roofing and walling is now in full production from Gwrhyd Specilaist Stone Quarry in Rhiwfawr, Swansea.

Will Davies has been developing the quarry in the Swansea Valley for the past two years and has now reached the point where he believes production can meet the already growing demand.

The stone is ideal for roof tiles and paving and the quarry yields secondary products of dry stone walling, crazy paving and cladding. The quarry also has seams of block stone, rockery stone and feature stones.

Will Davies says the demand for the stone, especially as roofing and paving, was immediately evident by the support he received when he put in his planning application to develop the site.

The initial production of roofing tiles from the quarry was carried out with the help of professionals. "All advice given was gratefully received and explored with this stone," says Davies.

The stone is extracted by hand using chisels and bars, prising each piece from its bed. It is then graded. This allows quality to be controlled throughout the production process.

The stone is then taken to be processed or stored. It is sawn for roofing and paving and hand dressed, again allowing for quality checks.

Stone roofing from the quarry has been used so far for conservation projects such as The Belvedere near Ross-on-Wye, St Briervals Castle in the Forest of Dean, St Mary\'s Church at Undy and St Stephen\'s Church at Old Radnor.

Pennant paving, which is renowned for its durability and slip resistance as well as its beauty, has been used in the restoration of Cefn Mably Country House near Cardiff and Pontyberem Memorial Garden near Swansea and for many private contracts.

Block stone walling, which is available cropped as well as natural, has been used in the incubation area at the National Botanic Garden of Wales near Carmarthen (where it also forms the dry stone entrance wall), Tonna Bridge near Neath, a major landscaping project at Treorchy in the Rhondda valley, Ynysygerwin water treatment plant near Neath and ring road works in Bristol.