1) The thin ‘flags’ of sandstone which were used as a roofing material in many parts of Yorkshire.
1298-9 Pro sparstan, sclatstan et aliis ad camaram de Rither, Bolton Priory
1395 Item pro boring 1m sclatstane 20d, Whitby. The most explicit information, and the link with Slater as a surname, is found in the fabric rolls and chamberlains’ rolls for Ripon: 1392-3 Et in sal. Simonis Sklater cooperantis et ponentis lapides de sklate et pro coopertura cujusdem domus ... cum sklatestane
1475-6 uno plaustr. tegularum vocatarum Sclatestane 2s 6d ... et vad. Ricardi Sclater tegentis super magnas cameras
1511-2 Rogero Sclayter 6d tegenti super cameram ... per unum diem, Sclaytston 4d ad idem opus ac del mose 1d, Ripon. Only certain quarries had the right kind of stone: 1399 ‘three acres at Stondelfs’
1400 ‘three acres at Sclaftonedelffe’ [sic], Rastrick and the slates required preparation before they could be attached to a roof: 1608 Robert Davyson for slating, dressing, holeinge, latting & pynnynge each roode vijs iiijd, Brandsby.