Covid-19 Statement, 4th Of January 2021
Following the latest government announcement, the workshop is currently closed for courses. Please be assured that courses will recommence as soon as possible in line with government guidance.
In the meantime, please do have a look below at today's top selling tools.
Today's Top Selling Tools
Today's top selling stone carving kits, limestone carving blocks, and stonemasonry tools and equipment. All of the tools, stone, and equipment listed on this site are sold via the Southern Stone Ebay shop. Following the links below will take you to the various categories where further products and details can be found.
Limestone Blocks For Carving And Masonry
Maltese limestone blocks. A soft and easy to work stone that retains a good crisp edge. Supplied roughly sawn six sides, a good stone for carving and internal masonry detail. Also available with Stonetone Plus 10 stone sealer.
Available in 6 options ranging from £19.99 to £59.98
Listed in the category Limestone, Soapstone, & Alabaster Blocks
Firesharp Stone Carving Chisel Set With 500g Dummy
A five piece hammer headed firesharp chisel set comprising of:
- Point chisel
- 4mm flat chisel
- 10mm flat chisel
- 8mm bullnose chisel
- 20mm 6 point fine claw chisel
- 500g dummy
The chisels are approximately 230mm in length and suitable for limestone and marble.
Price: £86.89
Listed in the category Firesharp Kits
Hammer Headed Firesharp Point Chisel
Firesharp hammer headed point chisel. Suitable for limestone and marble. Approximately 230mm in length.
Price: £10.99
Listed in the category Firesharp Chisels
400g steel dummy suitable for carving and lettering with hammer headed chisels.
Price: £20.89
Listed in the category Hammers & Mallets
An excellent value stone carving kit that includes all you need to start carving. The set comprises of:
- 7" x 7" x 5" limestone block
- Point chisel
- 4mm flat chisel
- 10mm flat chisel
- 10mm bullnose chisel
- 13mm 4 toothed fine claw chisel
- 600g dummy
Also included are full set of instructions on how to carve a grotesque, and a pair of safety glasses.
Price: £109.99
Listed in the category Stone Carving Kits
Stone Carving, Stone Masonry, Letter Cutting, & Sculpture Courses
Stone carving, stone masonry, letter cutting in stone, and sculpture courses taught by professionally qualified former Lincoln Cathedral Stonemason, Eilidh Fridlington.
The courses are designed for all abilities, and are particularly suitable if you’ve no prior experience of working with stone.
The duration of the masonry, carving, and letter cutting courses is three days, the abstract stone sculpture courses are two days, and the taster carving courses are one day.
All of the courses run on a weekly basis throughout the year with dates added to the site six months in advance. The website is fully automated and the advertised dates and places available are correct at all times.
All payments are made quickly and securely online via PayPal. Please note that you do not need to have a PayPal account to pay, as all major credit and debit cards are also accepted.
Gift certificates are also available for the one day taster stone carving courses, and make excellent presents for birthdays and special occasions.
The courses take place in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, at purpose-built workshop premises within the Terrace, situated right in the centre of the city, and the heart of Lincoln’s Cultural Quarter. A map showing the location of the workshop can be found here.
The current list of dates can be accessed via these links:
- Taster stone carving courses
- Abstract stone sculpture courses
- Stonemasonry courses
- Letter cutting courses
- Stone carving courses
Alternatively, continue reading below for further information about each individual course type.
One Day Taster Stone Carving Courses - Carving The Fleur De Lis
The one day taster stone carving courses are perfect if you're interested in having a practical introduction to stone carving, but don't want to commit too much time.
The taster courses focus on the creation of a relief carved Fleur De Lis, a classic historical ornament found in many guises. As can be seen from the picture, the fleur de lis is set back into the stone and surrounded by a border.
Although this is a one day stone carving workshop, the techniques and tools used are exactly the same as those on the two and three day carving courses; this means you won't miss out on anything should you wish to continue carving at a later date.
The next taster carving course with available places is on Thursday the 25th of February.
View the complete current list of taster stone carving courses.
Abstract Stone Sculpture Courses
These two day professionally taught abstract stone sculpture courses are an excellent introduction to creating form and movement in stone.
The emphasis of each course is to enable you to explore your ideas and transfer them in to stone; there’s no set path to follow, and you’re not restricted to following an existing design. You’ll be guided through the various processes of sculpting stone, and the tools and methods used at each stage.
This is a fantastic opportunity to create your own piece of art, and at the end of the two day workshop you’ll take home with you a piece of stonework to be proud of.
The stone sculpture workshops are aimed at all abilities, and are particularly suitable if you’ve no prior experience of working with stone. The atmosphere in the workshop is always relaxed, and leads to a positive experience for all.
The next sculpture course with available places is on Monday the 15th of March.
View the complete current list of abstract sculpture courses.
Stonemasonry Courses
The introduction to stone masonry courses will teach you the core fundamentals of architectural stonework through the working of an ovolo mould, complete with mitred returns.
The ovolo is a classical masonry mould formed from a quarter circle bound by two fillets, and can be found in numerous guises from classical architecture through to modern day builds. As well as being an architectural element, the ovolo also forms the basis of egg and dart ornamentation, and can be found as a component element in the Doric, Ionic, and Composite orders of Classical Architecture.
The three day stonemasonry workshops use the techniques and tools that have remained unchanged for centuries, and although technology has changed, no power tools are utilised during the courses.
Examples of recent client work from the masonry workshops can be found in the blog, tagged under stonemasonry and client work.
The next stonemasonry course with available places is on Wednesday the 3rd of March.
View the complete current list of stonemasonry courses.
Letter Cutting Courses
Letters have been cut by hand into stone for thousands of years by many civilisations, with perhaps the most notable and recognisable being the Romans.
The letter carving courses are based on the creation of V cut lettering, an incised V cut into the stone that catches light and throws shadow. This is one of the traditional methods of cutting letters, and is far removed from the modern practice of sandblasted letters through a rubberised template stuck to the face of the stone. Our letter cutting workshops are both the ideal introduction to carving letters in stone, and the perfect opportunity to enhance your existing skills.
Using a hands on approach, we discuss and practice the fundamental constructs needed for successful letter cutting in both classical and contemporary styles, before applying them to the piece of lettering you’ll be taking home with you.
Examples of recent client work from the letter cutting classes can be found in the blog, tagged under letter cutting and client work. If you’ve previous experience of cutting letters then we can add to your skill set and increase the rate at which you work.
The next lettering workshop with available places is on Monday the 22nd of March.
View the complete current list of letter cutting in stone courses.
Stone Carving Courses
As with all of the courses, the stone carving courses are ideal if you’ve never worked with stone before.
The stone carving workshops follow the direct carving method, so there’s no need for any preliminary drawing or model making; using this approach allows you to let your skills develop as we progress, rather than struggle with trying to copy something from the off. However, please feel free to bring along your ideas, whether they be thoughts, sketches or photographs.
The courses are entitled carving gargoyles and grotesques, but you’re certainly not limited to this if you’ve another idea you’d like to explore; there have been some excellent pieces of work made by previous clients along entirely different themes.
The next stone carving course with available places is on Tuesday the 9th of March.
View the complete current list of stone carving courses.
Gift Certificates
Gift certificates are available for the one day taster stone carving courses.
The certificates are valid for up to one year after the purchase date, so if you're looking for an unusual gift for the person with everything visit the one day taster carving course gift certificates page for further information.
Special Offers
Various courses are occasionally offered at reduced prices; these can either be found advertised on the individual course lists, or collected together on the offers page. Offers are subject to availability and the list changes on a regular basis.
Latest Posts
The blog section of the website is where you'll find posts showing the progress of clients during courses, various other items of stonework produced in the workshop, and information relevant to working with stone.
If you’d like an idea of what you could achieve, them please browse though the various sections.
Love, In Lincoln Cathedral Limestone
Love, cut by hand in Lincoln Cathedral limestone and finished with gold enamel paint, £25. The approximate sizes are 10cm high by 16cm wide by 2.5cm thick. Available for collection from the workshop at The Terrace on Grantham Street in … Continue reading
Start Of A Taster Stone Carving Course With Ken
The start of today’s taster stone carving course with Ken. Ken is working the border of the sunken panel surrounding his Fleur De Lis in Ancaster limestone.
Christmas Gifts Available
Christmas is coming and there’s lots of affordable handmade gifts available to buy at the workshop, all carved by myself in local Lincolnshire limestone. Single hearts finished in matt red enamel paint are £8 each, doubles finished in gold enamel … Continue reading
Letter S, Cut By Hand In Lincoln Cathedral Limestone
S is for sun. Cutting finished, gold enamel paint next. Traditional V cut letters done by hand, it’s all about the shadow. Individual hand drawn and cut letters available, message for more information.
The Start Of A Taster Stone Carving Course With Liam
The start of today’s taster stone carving course with Liam. Liam is making a start by cutting around the outline of his Fleur De Lis in Maltese limestone.
Entwined Hearts In Maltese Limestone
Entwined hearts cut by hand in Maltese limestone and finished with gold enamel paint. £15 each. Approximately 17cm wide by 12cm high by 4cm thick. Available to buy from the workshop at The Terrace on Grantham Street in Lincoln, LN21BD.
Phoenix Carved In Maltese Limestone
The end of a three day stone carving course with Gerry. Gerry has carved a phoenix in his Maltese limestone; he’s a complete beginner to carving stone but that hasn’t stopped him from producing an excellent result.
Shanti, In Lincoln Cathedral Limestone
Shanti, cut by hand in Lincoln Cathedral limestone and finished with gold enamel paint. Approximate sizes are 30cm wide by 27cm high by 3cm thick. £25, available to buy from my workshop at The Terrace on Grantham Street Lincoln, LN2 … Continue reading
Small Hearts Cut In Lincoln Cathedral Limestone
Love is all you need. These have been so super popular I’ve needed to make more because I ran out. Thank you for your support everyone! Carved by hand in Lincoln Cathedral limestone and finished with matt red enamel paint, … Continue reading
End Of A Three Day Stone Carving Course With Laura
The end of a three day stone carving course with Laura. For a complete beginner, Laura has produced an excellent piece of work in her Maltese limestone. Nice one!
The Second Day Of Stone Carving With Laura
The end of the second day of this week’s stone carving course with Laura and her Maltese limestone. This is the first time Laura has worked with stone, and she’s progressing really well with her grotesque.
Relief Carved Hearts In Lincoln Cathedral Limestone
Relief carved hearts in Lincoln Cathedral limestone, finished with matt red enamel paint. The stone originates from the Cathedral’s own quarry on Riseholme Road in Lincoln, and is the same stone used for the original construction of the minster, as … Continue reading