Norwich Boer War Memorial.

Winged bronze statue of Peace mounted on a tall stone plinth. The plinth bears bronze plaques with inscription. The figure removes a sword from a sheath. 

Boer War.
The Second Boer War, also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the Boer republics over Britain's influence in Southern Africa.

Logging Tasks.

You will need to use party 1 & 3 of lesson to answer at GZ.

• 1. Compare Portland and Granite
     Locate both Portland Stone and Granite. Before touching, just look. Compare what you would expect them both to feel like to your eye to how they actually feel. Are your expectations any different? If so, what's different?
  2. Granite Crystal Spotting
     Examine the granite used for the base. You should be able to see indivudual crystals. Describe their colours and how big they are compared to something familiar (like a grain of rice or a fingernail).
  3. Stone Weathering
     Compare the weathering of more exposed pieces of Granite and Portland Stone in similar areas (it is best if they are facing the same way and are not right at the bottom on the floor). What are the visible differences of weathering that you can see between them? Which stone do you belive to be weathering faster and why?
• To confirm your visit, may you please upload a picture of either yourself, Geocaching username, GPS coordinates or trackable at the time of your visit. If this isn't provided and your answers are vauge your log will be deleted without notice. 

Earth Science Lesson Part 1.

Small use of AI purely for research.

Portland Stone: A Simple Geological Guide

What Is Portland Stone?

Portland Stone is a type of limestone found on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. It’s famous for its pale colour and has been used in buildings like St Paul’s Cathedral and the United Nations HQ.

How Did It Form?

• Around 145 million years ago, during the Jurassic period, Portland was covered by a shallow tropical sea.
• Tiny grains of sand and shell in the water formed layers of calcium carbonate.
• These grains, called ooids, built up into thick beds.
• Over time, pressure turned these beds into solid rock—this process is called lithification.

What Does It Look Like?

• Pale cream or grey colour
• Fine-grained and smooth
• Often shows flat layers called bedding planes
• Sometimes contains small sea fossils like shells

Why Is It Special?

• Strong and easy to carve—perfect for buildings
• Resistant to wear, but can be damaged by acid rain
• Has been used for centuries in famous architecture

Granite: 

What Is Granite?

Granite is a hard, speckled rock found deep beneath Earth’s surface. It’s one of the most common rocks in the continental crust and is widely used in buildings, monuments, and kitchen worktops.

How Did It Form?

• Granite forms from molten rock (magma) that cools slowly underground.
• As it cools, crystals grow—giving granite its grainy texture.
• This slow cooling happens deep in the Earth, making granite an intrusive igneous rock.

What Does It Look Like?

• Usually grey, pink, or white with black specks
• Made of visible crystals of:
  • Quartz (clear or grey)
  • Feldspar (white or pink)
  • Mica (shiny black or silver flakes)
• Tough and coarse-grained

Why Is It Special?

• Extremely hard and durable
• Resists weathering and erosion
• Used for buildings, bridges, gravestones, and decorative stone

Conservation Note

Granite is very resistant to damage, but polished surfaces can lose their shine over time due to abrasion or chemical cleaning. It’s often chosen for outdoor use because it weathers slowly.

Earth Science Lesson Part 2.

Bronze: A Simple Materials Guide

What Is Bronze?

Bronze is a metal made by mixing copper with a small amount of tin. It’s one of the earliest man-made alloys and was widely used during the Bronze Age for tools, weapons, and art. Stronger than pure copper and easier to cast, bronze marked a major step forward in human technology.

How Is Bronze Made?

• Bronze is not found naturally—it’s created by smelting copper and adding tin.
• Ancient people discovered that adding tin made copper harder and more durable.
• The typical mix is about 90% copper and 10% tin, though this can vary.

What Does It Look Like?

• Reddish-brown with a golden or dull sheen
• Can develop a green surface layer (called patina) over time due to oxidation
• Often cast into shapes using moulds

Why Is It Special?

• Harder than copper, but still easy to shape
• Doesn’t rust, but forms a protective patina
• Used for:
  • Statues and bells
  • Coins and medals
  • Tools and weapons in ancient times

Conservation Note

Bronze objects can corrode in damp or salty environments, forming green crusts. Museums and conservators protect bronze by controlling humidity and using gentle cleaning methods. Outdoor statues often keep their patina as part of their character.

Earth Science Lesson Part 3.

Weathering of Portland Stone: A Simple Geological Guide

What Is Weathering?

Weathering is the natural process that breaks down rocks over time. Portland Stone, a type of limestone, is especially affected by chemical weathering, where rain and pollution slowly dissolve the surface.

How Does Portland Stone Weather?

• Portland Stone is made mostly of calcium carbonate, which reacts with acids.
• Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, forming weak carbonic acid.
• In cities, pollution adds stronger acids like sulfuric and nitric acid.
• These acids react with the stone, forming calcium bicarbonate, which washes away.

What to look for.

• Dark streaks or patches from rainwater running down the surface
• Crumbly edges or loss of carved detail in exposed areas
• Smooth or polished areas where the stone is sheltered
• Uneven colour—sheltered parts may stay pale, while exposed parts darken

Why Does It Matter?

• Portland Stone is used in many historic buildings and memorials.
• Weathering can damage carvings, blur inscriptions, and weaken the stone.
• Conservation teams monitor changes and use protective coatings or sheltering to slow the process.

Weathering of Granite: A Simple Geological Guide

What Is Weathering?

Weathering is the process that breaks down rocks over time through exposure to air, water, and temperature changes. Granite, a hard and durable rock, weathers slowly—but even this tough stone shows signs of change when exposed to the elements.

How Does Granite Weather?

• Granite is made of interlocking crystals of minerals like quartz, feldspar, and mica.
• Over time, rainwater and temperature changes cause tiny cracks to form.
• Feldspar reacts with water and breaks down into clay minerals.
• Freeze–thaw cycles can widen cracks, slowly breaking the rock apart.

What to Look For

• Grainy surfaces where crystals have loosened or fallen out
• Discolouration, especially around feldspar-rich areas (often pale or chalky)
• Cracks or flakes, especially on edges or corners
• Lichen or moss growth, which can trap moisture and speed up breakdown

Why Does It Matter?

Granite is often used in monuments and buildings because it resists wear. But over decades, even granite can lose sharp edges, develop surface roughness, or show signs of mineral decay. Understanding how it weathers helps preserve historic structures and interpret landscape changes.

Logging Tasks.

• 1. Compare Portland and Granite.
     Locate both Portland Stone and Granite. Before touching, just look. Compare what you would expect them both to feel like to your eye to how they actually feel. Are your expectations any different? If so, what's different?
  2. Granite Crystal Spotting
     Examine the granite used for the base. You should be able to see indivudual crystals. Describe their colours and how big they are compared to something familiar (like a grain of rice or a fingernail).
  3. Stone Weathering
     Compare the weathering of more exposed pieces of Granite and Portland Stone in similar areas (it is best if they are facing the same way and are not right at the bottom on the floor). What are the visible differences of weathering that you can see between them? Which stone do you belive to be weathering faster and why?
• To confirm your visit, may you please upload a picture of either yourself, Geocaching username, GPS coordinates or trackable at the time of your visit. If this isn't provided and your answers are vauge your log will be deleted without notice.