Detail of monument to Thomas Withering (1625) being cleaned in
the studio of Taylor Pearce.
Thomas Withering was Postmaster
General to Charles I.
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The Conservation of Alabaster
Dennis Cox
Alabaster is a...
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Detail of monument to Thomas Withering (1625) being cleaned in
the studio of Taylor Pearce.
Thomas Withering was Postmaster
General to Charles I.
HOME DIRECTORY ARTICLES BOOKSHOP WHAT S ON
The Conservation of Alabaster
Dennis Cox
Alabaster is a form of gypsum, hydrated calcium sulphate.
Gypsum is
used extensively in plaster and mortar and is added to Portland
cement to inhibit the setting period.
During quarrying or mining for this
mineral, large compounded blocks would be encountered and these
were alabaster.
Unfortunately, according to the technical advisor to
the Stone Federation Great Britain, John Bysouth, alabaster is no
longer extracted in the UK, or if it is it isn’t appearing on any major
radar screen.
A British Gypsum spokesperson said that as far as their
estates are concerned it simply doesn’t exist in large enough
quantities to make its continued extraction economically viable.
However, there is still a significant mined reserve of British ala
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