Flint
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Flint is a type of compact crystalline silica found in chalk or limestone marly. It is extremely hard, although it is also quite brittle, and is similar to quartz, chert and jasper.
[edit] History
Flint’s durability is one of the reasons it has been used as a type of building material since antiquity. It is also portable, available and inexpensive. The Romans used it throughout the Roman Empire - including England - it in the core work of composite walls in forts and other structures.
Flint gained popularity in parts of the country where it was most commonly found. Throughout the Middle Ages, flint became ubiquitous as a building material for Saxon and Norman churches constructed in parts of the country where brick making was uncommon and other suitable types of stone were difficult to find. These flint regions - linked with the Chalk - include Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Suffolk and Norfolk.
[edit] Advanced techniques
Over the years, flint building techniques have become more sophisticated. The 15th and 16th centuries saw the introduction of snapping (breaking the stone in half to expose the inner face) and knapping (taking snapped flint - which is typically round or oval - and squaring it into a cube). When combined with a practice known as flushwork, this could produce a variety of decorative effects that could be incorporated into important buildings.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, flint was slowly replaced by brick, although it experienced a regional revival in the late 18th century when the Romantics adopted it for their rustic outbuildings. The Victorians were also known to use flint for cottages, churches and country houses.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Ebenezer Howard: inventor of the garden city. Book review.
Grenfell Tower fire – eight years on
A time to pause and reflect as Dubai tower block fire reported just before anniversary.
Airtightness Topic Guide BSRIA TG 27/2025
Explaining the basics of airtightness, what it is, why it's important, when it's required and how it's carried out.
Construction contract awards hit lowest point of 2025
Plummeting for second consecutive month, intensifying concerns for housing and infrastructure goals.
Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025
Examining the state of mental health in construction, shedding light on levels of stress, anxiety and depression.
The benefits of engaging with insulation manufacturers
When considering ground floor constructions.
Lighting Industry endorses Blueprint for Electrification
The Lighting Industry Association fully supports the ECA Blueprint as a timely, urgent call to action.
BSRIA Sentinel Clerk of Works Training Case Study
Strengthening expertise to enhance service delivery with integrated cutting-edge industry knowledge.
Impact report from the Supply Chain Sustainability School
Free sustainability skills, training and support delivered to thousands of UK companies to help cut carbon.
The Building Safety Forum at the Installershow 2025
With speakers confirmed for 24 June as part of Building Safety Week.
The UK’s largest air pollution campaign.
Future Homes Standard, now includes solar, but what else?
Will the new standard, due to in the Autumn, go far enough in terms of performance ?
BSRIA Briefing: Cleaner Air, Better tomorrow
A look back at issues relating to inside and outside air quality, discussed during the BSRIA briefing in 2023.
Restoring Abbotsford's hothouse
Bringing the writer Walter Scott's garden to life.
Reflections on the spending review with CIAT.
Retired firefighter cycles world to raise Grenfell funds
Leaving on 14 June 2025 Stephen will raise money for youth and schools through the Grenfell Foundation.
Key points for construction at a glance with industry reactions.