Cupa Heavy 3 natural slates from Spain have long been used in Scotland but have now been used for the first time in the South of England. More than 20,000 of the blue-black 8-10mm thick riven slates adorn a new, 49-room hotel and spa on Lord Landsdowne’s Bowood Estate in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside.
The Cupa slates were considered the right choice to complement existing properties on the estate, including a Georgian Manor House that has a natural slate roof. Lee Sharland of Sharland Roofing, who carried out the installation, says: “The Heavy 3 achieves an authentic, rustic look to a beautiful building.”
Cupa say one of the attractions of the slate to architects Purcell Miller Tritton and the clients was its environmental friendliness. They quote Joan Walsh, Consultant Geologist and author of Natural Roofing Slate: “There are many factors to be considered when choosing a material for roofing a building. However, if reduced carbon emissions and environmental impact are among the most important considerations, there can be no better choice than natural slate.”
The hotel also includes 85m3 of Cotswold quarry company Farmington’s Light Honey stone as an ornate balustrade, radiused entablature, radiused pilasters, radiused copings, a portico with large columns, string courses, a dressed plinth and cills.