Ancaster Limestones is a cream coloured Jurassic Oolitic limestone forming part of the Inferior Oolite Group (https://webapps.bgs.ac.uk/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?pub=INO) Upper Lincolnshire Limestone Formation. In a medium grained oolitic limestone containing shell fragments and can vary in composition between quarries. Oolites are small spherical grains of calcium carbonate which range in size from 0.2mm to a few mm. The oolites are typically cemented together with calcium carbonate mud, resulting in a fine-grained, homogeneous rock with a smooth, even texture. The limestone is typically cream-colored, with occasional bands of gray or pink, and often contains small fossil fragments, such as shells or fragments of crinoids (BGS, 2022). The freestone is the softer stone and suitable for elaborate carved work where the Hard white is more suitable for ashlar.
Ancaster Freestone ( Ancaster Freebed ) https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/stones_ahrb_2005/cfm/Public/details/RockDetails.cfm?RockCode=ANCFRE
Ancaster Hard White https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/stones_ahrb_2005/cfm/Public/details/RockDetails.cfm?RockCode=ANCHWH
Ancaster Weatherbed ( Ancaster Rag ) https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/stones_ahrb_2005/cfm/Public/details/RockDetails.cfm?RockCode=ANCWEA
| Ancaster Freestone | Ancaster Hard White | Ancaster Weatherbed | |||
| Primary Colour | Cream / Buff | Pale honey to a cream colour | Colour varies from cream to brownish yellow (due to oxide of iron staining) and through to a blue/grey colour. The stone can be mottled and/or flecked. | ||
| Surface Appearance | Oolitic/Pisolitic | Oolitic/Pisolitic | A medium grained, hard, shelly limestone containing ooliths and small rolled gastropods, it may be pistolitic in places (Ashurst & Dimes 1990: 103).
The upper ‘Red Weatherbed’ commonly reddened in colour and the lower ‘Brown Weatherbed’ which is a warm brown colour. Both stones are coarsely shelly and hard wearing and take an excellent polish. In quarry sections they can be strongly cross-bedded. In colour the beds of the Weatherbed showing a lenticular core of blue grey limestone known as ‘blue hearted’. |
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| Grain Sorting | Moderately well sorted | Well Sorted | Moderately well sorted | ||
| Grain ze | Medium
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Medium
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Medium | ||
| Localities | Wollaton Hall, Nottinghamshire (ref: 103), Harlaxton Manor, Lincolnshire (ref: 102), Belton House, Lincolnshire: Unspecified (ref: 104), Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire (ref: 105), Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire (ref: 106), Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire: String Courses and Dressings (ref: 107). |
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| Known use | Sculpture, grave slabs, effigies and figures
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Sculpture, grave slabs, effigies and figures
Ashlar Can take a polish so used in wall lining, staircases, fireplaces |
Sculpture, grave slabs, effigies and figures
Ashlar |
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| Known quarries | Glebe Quarry near Ancaster, Thompson’s Ancaster Quarry near Grantham, Castle Quarry, Ancaster, |
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| Ref and further info | Ancaster Freestone |
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| Source | (Knowles & Winterbottom) | (Knowles & Winterbottom) | (Knowles & Winterbottom) | ||
| HOME: Stone in Archaeology – a Digital Resource (archaeologydataservice.ac.uk) | HOME: Stone in Archaeology – a Digital Resource (archaeologydataservice.ac.uk) | HOME: Stone in Archaeology – a Digital Resource (archaeologydataservice.ac.uk) | |||
Details for Ancaster Hard White (archaeologydataservice.ac.uk)
https://webapps.bgs.ac.uk/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?pub=INO
| Stone Name | Locality for past extraction of this stone from Building Stones of England English Heritage – excel file |
| Ancaster Freestone | Lincolnshire |
| Ancaster Hard White | Lincolnshire |
| Ancaster Stone | Buckinghamshire |
| Ancaster Weatherbed | Lincolnshire |
| Building using this stone from Building Stones of England English Heritage – excel file | |
| Ancaster Freestone | Lincolnshire |
| Ancaster Hard White | Lincolnshire |
| Ancaster Stone | Buckinghamshire |
| Ancaster Weatherbed | Lincolnshire |
| Stone Name | Building Stones of England English Heritage Regional Stone Atlases |
| Ancaster Stone | Lincolnshire Stone Atlas |
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