Exeter, Cathedral Close & Yard

This project showcases a wonderful design using small elements of Italian Porphyry Paving, Sawn Yorkstone Paving, and local river cobbles that match the original materials.

Situated between the cathedral and several attractive, older buildings, the restrained use of these materials is superb. Both main paving materials are laid in a traditional manner, utilizing random lengths to minimize production waste. The challenging aspect of this project was matching the original river cobbles, as some had become loose and were missing.

Interestingly, these cobbles were quite thin and laid on edge, which allowed them to survive almost intact despite vehicular traffic. Initially, we anticipated a major search in the surrounding area to find a suitable match. However, remarkably, just a few days later, a member of the council team discovered remnants from a river dredging operation where these small cobbles were found.

The process of hand-sorting these cobbles was challenging, with less than 10% being suitable for use. Fortunately, a local farmer generously allowed us to use their space for several months while we completed the task. Although these may have been the most expensive cobbles on a per-ton basis, the coverage was excellent, and the final result was stunningly perfect. The contractor did an exceptional job of laying them.