In Cornwall, the Duchy of Cornwall’s Nansledan development represents a modern interpretation of traditional town building — a place designed to endure, built on principles of craftsmanship, community and stewardship. For Burlington Stone, the opportunity to contribute to this long-term vision through the supply of heritage roofing slate reflects both a shared commitment to sustainability and the enduring value of British natural materials in conservation architecture.
A Material with Proven Heritage
Burlington’s roofing slate is quarried in the heart of the Cumbrian Lake District, where the company has operated continuously since the mid-nineteenth century. Each piece is drawn from ancient geological beds that have supplied stone to Britain’s most architecturally significant buildings for generations.
For projects such as Nansledan — where architectural detail, tone and texture are integral to the sense of place — the Burlington Blue-Grey slate offers a restrained, natural surface that weathers subtly and harmonises with local render and masonry. The Nansledan specification uses fixed-length, random-width slates, a format chosen to balance traditional character with contemporary efficiency.
While diminishing courses remain a hallmark of many historic roofs, fixed-length random-width slates provide a cost-effective and installation-efficient alternative. They retain some of the organic variation and texture associated with vernacular slate roofing, yet allow for lower production costs, faster laying and improved material consistency across large developments. The result is a roofscape that achieves both authenticity and practicality — a modern evolution of heritage craft.
Produced to tight tolerances but finished by hand, Burlington slates combine the subtle irregularity valued in conservation work with the precision demanded by today’s construction standards.
A Long-Term Partnership in Place-Making
The Duchy’s vision for Nansledan extends over several decades, guided by design codes developed in collaboration with ADAM Architecture and others. Each phase is planned with careful control over materials to ensure continuity and coherence across the wider masterplan. Burlington’s involvement began in earlier phases and continues to expand as new areas are released.
These continuing phases illustrate a pattern of gradual, careful growth. Builders such as Morrish Homes and CG Fry work closely with the Duchy to preserve material integrity, and early specification of heritage slate ensures both visual consistency and long-term resilience.
Architecture that Respects its Setting
For conservation-minded architects, Nansledan offers a compelling case study in how new development can adopt the same principles that underpin successful historic places: the disciplined use of natural materials, locally appropriate form, and a clear lineage of craft.
Roofing slate, in this context, does more than protect a building. It shapes the townscape silhouette, modulates light, and provides continuity across generations. The Burlington Blue-Grey slate — sourced, processed and finished entirely onsite at Kirkby Quarry high in the Cumbrian fells — contributes to that ambition by offering a genuine material connection between past and present.
Craft, Longevity and Stewardship
The Duchy’s design philosophy is based on long-term stewardship rather than short-term development. Burlington’s approach mirrors that outlook. Each piece of slate is expected to perform for more than a century with minimal maintenance, providing lifecycle value that aligns naturally with the Duchy’s emphasis on durability and low embodied carbon.
In choosing heritage Cumbrian slate, the Nansledan team ensures that today’s craftsmanship will remain visible far into the future — a tangible expression of the Duchy’s commitment to creating sustainable, characterful communities.
A Shared Future
As Nansledan continues to evolve — with further residential, commercial and civic phases planned over the next 30 years — Burlington Stone’s role will be to maintain the same standards of consistency, quality and provenance that have defined the company for generations. For the architects and builders involved, this continuity of material supply provides a stable foundation on which to create new streets and rooflines that belong unmistakably to Cornwall, yet draw on the best of Britain’s natural stone heritage.