The History of Blue John Stone                      Order  Ref: BLH001.                                                                                           72 minutes. Widescreen DVD PAL. £10+ £1.20 p&p.

Blue John is the only semi-precious stone still mined in Britain.  This rare blue banded Fluorspar has captivated people for over 300 years. Championed by the 18th Century designer and industrialist, Matthew Boulton, Blue John  became Britains most important decorative stone and a symbol to the rest of the world of British manufacturing excellence. Many priceless Blue John pieces are held in royal, public and private collections around the world.

But Blue John remains deeply mysterious. For many years,  Scientists and Historians have struggled with the many unanswered questions surrounding one of Britain's most famous natural treasures. What is the source of the strange blue banding? Where does the name come from? Who was the first to discover it? and why is one small hillside in Derbyshire the only place where you can find it?

This fascinating documentary gets deep underground and explores rarely seen Blue John workings left frozen in time. It traces Blue John's rise to fame from the very beginnings by uncovering ancient documents, talking to the experts, piecing toether clues and revealing the answers. This is the definitive history of Blue John Stone.