Stone for Gaudi’s church is from . . . Lancashire!
‘We just had a call out of the blue’
IT’S one of Europe’s most famous attractions – even though it isn’t finished yet.
But as tourists gaze up at the towering spires of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia cathedral, few realise they’re actually looking at a little piece of Lancashire.
Stone used to build Antoni Gaudi’s modernist church, on which building began in the 1880s, comes from just outside the market town of Chorley.
Brinscall Quarry is one of seven in the world chosen to supply the project – due to be completed by 2026 – because its buff gritstone is load-bearing, hard-wearing and, crucially, the right colour.
Emma Armstrong, whose family firm Armstrongs Aggregate owns the quarry, said: ‘It all started when we just had a call out of the blue.
‘You have to pinch yourself that you’re involved in something millions of people visit every year.
‘We’re quite modest in our own way – we’re a family business with five quarries and have a workforce of 170 local people.
‘We supply stone for architectural projects locally, including a few footballers’ houses, and we made a seven-metre obelisk for Bolton council to commemorate the centenary of Gallipoli.
‘When I drive past places it’s always nice to think, “Our stone was used in this.” But we’re very proud and it’s very humbling to be involved in something as famous as Gaudi’s cathedral.’
The stone, which is particularly resistant to the weather and pollution, is cut on two sides to check its quality before being taken in loads of five to 20 tons, setting off on the 1,150mile journey by road several days a week.
The Lancashire stone has replaced some of the cathedral’s oldest masonry, while it is also being used on some of the towers – the highest of which will be more than 550ft.
Miss Armstrong said the company had been approached to supply stone five years ago.
She said: ‘They had looked through a register of every quarry in the UK and we had exactly what they were looking for. Stone masons can also make fantastic shapes and carvings out of it.
‘There’s still a lot to do and we’re due to supply them for another five years.’ Less than a quarter of the Sagrada Familia had been completed when Gaudi died in 1926.
Building has been slow because it relies on private donations, while construction was also interrupted by the civil war. Amateur historian Paul Topping, from near Chorley, said: ‘They have to make sure the stone is absolutely bang on.
‘It’s going to be surreal going and looking at the Sagrada Familia thinking, “There’s some of Chorley in that.”’