Stonemasonry is as old as mankind itself. After hunting and gathering, the art of shaping stone is perhaps the oldest trade in human history that is still thriving today.

Stonemasonry has changed considerably through the centuries. In our latest blog, RC Coppin take you on a trip through time, investigating the trade trends of the past, present and future.

The early years

The first evidence of stonemasonry can be traced back to six-thousand years ago, when humans picked up rocks and ground them down into handheld tools and hunting weapons.

During subsequent centuries, man’s knowledge and awareness of natural stone as a material continued to grow, and humans soon began to find ways to build and sculpt stone-based habitats and structures. As transportation developed, boulders were taken from one point to another and broken down into smaller pieces – initially used to build walls to prevent territory invasion.

Over time, humans invented stone cladding tools and smaller instruments that facilitated the carving of structures for beauty and aesthetics. The pyramids in Egypt, the Leshan Giant Buddha in China, the Sacsayhuamán Inca fortress in Peru, and the Taj Mahal in India are just a few examples of how human beings made such wonderful architectural designs out of a seemingly primitive material.

Craftsmanship has always been key

Stonemasonry started as a case of trial and error, with humans forced to test the structural integrity of different types of stone to determine which would prove best for specific purposes.

One old method was using mud brick from native soil and baking the material in flames to burn off the excess moisture. Whilst advanced machinery and digital software has sped up testing, production and distribution, craftsmanship remains a key trait in stonemasonry.

There’s an art to understanding how much of the stone to remove (and at which angle) in order to yield the desired outcome. It’s a real talent – which is why gifted stonemasons are so highly regarded.

We’re proud to say we’re still nurturing the talent we inherited from our ancestors here at RC Coppin…

RC Coppin: The latest century in stonemasonry

For the past hundred years, RC Coppin has been the big name in UK stonemasonry. Our reputable brand – just like stonemasonry itself – originated from humble beginnings, but has rapidly become hugely important to the surrounding community.

Now based in Braintree, Essex with access to a wider range of stones than our founder could have ever originally envisaged, RC Coppin has evolved into the best place in the UK for expert stonemasonry. We’ve taken the core values of the trade and made the necessary advancements to meet the demands of the digital age.

You can learn more about our brand and see our range of spectacular natural stones by visiting our showroom on Park Drive Industrial Estate. Give us a call beforehand on 01376 550 009 and we’ll make sure a member of our team is free to give you the tour, filling you in on our rich history in the process.