They are usually between two and ten inches in diameter or length and are often taken from rivers, where the constant running water gradually wears away at the stone and forms those signature rounded edges. The word cobblestone is derived from the English word “cob”, which means something round or lumpy.

Where do cobble stones come from?

Workers had the job of wading through rivers and streams, ducking down into the chilled waters, and plucking out the roundest, sturdiest pebbles. These were the cobble stones (later cobblestones) that would be used to lay the roads.

Are cobbles natural?

True cobblestones are always natural stone—usually granite, but sometimes basalt, limestone, or another stone. The original cobblestone pavers were naturally occurring rounded stones collected from stream beds.