0fOXFO%$>-SHl\E. 77 



hundred and three tuns , accounting fixteen foot cubic to the 

 tun. 



29. Other Quarries there are alio of confiderable ufe, as Bla- 

 den, Little Milton, Barjord, and Hornton, whereof the laft has 

 the bell Fire-ftone of any in the County ; fome of it feems to 

 have Iron-colour'd veins, that receive (as I have feen) a toler- 

 able poliiri, a-ud is the ftone I mention'd before, whofe chippingt 

 (laid on it) improve their land, by reafon I fuppofe of the 



fait there is in it, which may alfo be the caufe it endures fire 

 fo well. 



30. At Cornbury Park, there was a fort of flow, the Quarry 

 whereof is now quite exhaufted, that never would fweat in the 

 moifteft weather, of which the pavement of the Hall'm the houfe 

 there, ftill remains as a fufticient teftimony : of this, did it rife 

 in great blocks, might poflibly have been made very good Mill- 

 ftones, the not fweating being a principal qualification in all Hones 

 whatever ufed for Corn-mills. . 



31. But before we take leave of materials for Building, we 

 muft not forget that the Houfes are covered, for the moft part in 

 Oxford-fhire (not with tiles) but flat-ftone, whereof the lighteft, 

 and that which imbibes the water leaft, is accounted the bed. 

 And fuch is that which they have at Stunsfietd, where it is dug 

 firft in thick cakes, about Michaelmafs time, or before, to lye 

 all the winter and receive thefrofts, which make it cleave in the 

 (pring following into thinner plates, which otherwife it would not 

 do fo kindly. But at Bradwell (near the Grove) they dig a fort 

 of flat -ft one, naturally fuch, without the help of winter, and fo 

 ftrangely great, that fomtimes they have them of feven foot long, 

 and five foot over : with thefe they commonly make mounds for 

 their Clofes and 1 have feen a fmall hovel, that for its whole co- 

 vering has required no more than one of thefe Hones : and fome 

 of them are of fo hard and clofe a texture, that I have known 

 them by Painters of very good (kill, preferr'd before Marble for 

 grinding their colours. 



32. To ftone ufed in Building they fomtimes add L ime, which 

 becaufe for the moft part, is here made of ftone, muft alfo be 

 handled in this place ; for which they count the hardeft rag-ftone 

 beft, but any will make it, fays the Learned WHI'ps a ^ except fuch 



d JV Ferment, cap. 10. 



as 



