Decoration: Hertfordshire Puddingstone takes a high polish showing off its attractive colours

In some pieces the pebbles show rings of different colours; many have a dark rim.

Prehistoric Tools:

A Neolithic hand axe, on display at the Stockwood Discovery Centre Luton

www.lutonculture.com

Milling: Puddingstone’s hardness and coherence made it ideal for grinding corn.

Top and base sections of a Roman rotary quern. The hole in the side of the top section was for the wooden handle

Hammerstone used to put the finishing touches to querns

Features and Buildings

Features in public places. For example this one in Hertford Castle grounds (presented by EHGC).

Building: Blocks of puddingstone have been used locally as a building material since at least Roman times. (Here at St. Andrews Street car park Hertford)

Jewellery: Hertfordshire Puddingstone is so hard and coherent it can be worked in fine detail.