Hull Geological Society
Common urban rocks -
(a work in progress)
Oolitic Limestones including Ancaster Stone
Ooliths are little rounded balls of micritic calcite that look like fish eggs. Oolitic limestones are rocks made mostly from ooliths. The creamy coloured oolitic Jurassic limestones of England often make good building stones. Most need to be used in the same orientation as they have in the quarry or mine to protect them from damp and frost. Some are "freestones" which means they can be used in any orientation. Some can be used for carving statues.
The middle Jurassic Cave Oolite from the South Cave and Newbald area of East Yorkshire is used as a building tone locally. It is not brilliant because of its porosity and there are no active quarries now.
In Hull a number of civic buildings use Ancaster Stone from Lincolnshire, which has a 'streaky bacon' appearance; if you have a look at the Town Docks Museum and Guildhall you will see what I mean.
Barnack Stone from Lincolnshire is used in several churches in southern Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Bath Stone from Somerset is an excellent freestone containing few fossils,
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