Slate is a roofing material that has been used in the UK as far back as 1296! The popularity of Slate began to grow in the late 1700s thanks to the industrial revolution and it was a favourite among Victorian roofers.
Compared to clay and concrete, slate tends to be quite time consuming to fix as slate needs to be laid double lapped with two nails or slate clips. However, cheaper imported slates are available but these do vary vastly in quality.