Monks Park Limestone
<NOTE: CONTENTS ARE BETA VERSION – SUBJECT TO FACT CHECK AND VERIFICATION>
Monks Park Limestone is a fine-grained, cream to white-colored limestone that was deposited in the Jurassic period during the Lower Bathonian stage, about 167 to 164 million years ago (BGS, 2021a). It is a type of oolitic limestone, meaning it is composed of small, spheroidal grains known as ooids. The limestone is mainly made up of calcium carbonate and is relatively pure, containing less than 5% impurities.
The Monks Park Limestone belongs to the Great Oolite Group, which is a geological formation that spans across southern and central England. This formation is characterized by its oolitic limestones, which were formed by the accumulation of carbonate grains in shallow marine environments.
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Stone Name | Locality for past extraction of this stone (from Building Stones of England English Heritage – excel file) |
Monk’s Park Stone | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
Building using this stone (from Building Stones of England English Heritage – excel file) | |
Monk’s Park Stone | Wiltshire Buildings (https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/advice/building-stones-england/bse-excel-west-wiltshire/); |
https://www.stonespecialist.com/news/hanson-bath-portland-re-open-monks-park
2015 Monks Park is at Gastard, near Corsham in Wiltshire. It has been dormant since 2004. Re-opening the site will safeguard specialist jobs and satisfy customer demand for Bath stone, says Hanson.
It has been used on The Podium in Bath, St James’s Parade, Bristol, and the Calne Library, as well as further afield in London and Oxford.
References
Further reading
https://www.hanson.co.uk/en/about-us/news-and-events/monks-park-stone-mine-reopenshttps://assets.savills.com/properties/GBBARUSAR180014/SAR180014_SAR18000422.PDF
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1617/s11527-015-0767-3
https://projects.bre.co.uk/ConDiv/stonelist/stonelist/BP_Monks.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_stone
https://www.theurbanexplorer.co.uk/monks-park-quarry-wiltshire/
<stone name> | |
Reference | A8 |
NAME | Monks Park |
TYPE | Limestone |
GEOLOGY | Jurassic. Great Oolite |
COUNTY | Wiltshire |
COLOUR | Cream |
TEXTURE | Fine grained oolite with some shells |
BLOCK SIZE LXBXH (mm) | 750mm depth on bed |
SUITABILITY | Ashlar, dressings, projections and carving |
USES (1) | Grand Buildings, Trafalgar Square, London |
USES (2) | Cliveden House, Berkshire |
USES (3) | |
USES (4) | |
Stone Names | (Type of Bath Stone) |