What is limestone?
Limestone is a sedimentary rock primarily composed of calcium carbonate, usually in the form of the mineral calcite. It forms mainly in warm, shallow marine environments where the accumulation of shells, coral, algae, and other organic material creates thick deposits over time. These materials gradually compact and cement together, producing a solid rock that often contains visible fossils. Limestone can vary in colour from white and grey to buff and even blue-grey, depending on its impurities and formation conditions. It is an important natural resource used in construction, cement production, and as a raw material in various industrial processes, as well as a key feature in many landscapes where it creates distinctive features such as cliffs and caves.
We supply Blisworth Limestone which was formed during the Middle Jurassic and is found mainly in the East Midlands of England. Formed in shallow marine conditions, it is typically fine-grained and oolitic, with small spherical grains of calcium carbonate that give it a smooth texture. Its pale grey to buff colour and uniform composition distinguish it from other limestones, which can vary widely in age, texture, and mineral content. Unlike more common limestones formed in diverse environments worldwide, Blisworth Limestone is regionally significant and has long been used as a durable local building stone.
What is limestone used for?
Limestone is a highly versatile building stone widely used in house construction and landscaping across the East Midlands. Locally quarried varieties such as Blisworth Limestone and Lincolnshire Limestone are prized for their warm tones and durability, making them ideal for walling stone, facades, and detailed architectural stonemasonry. In traditional East Midlands villages, limestone has long been used to create charming cottage walls, boundary features, and garden rockeries that blend naturally with the surrounding landscape. Its ease of shaping allows stonemasons to craft decorative elements like window surrounds, lintels, and pillars, giving homes both strength and enduring character. Today, limestone remains a sustainable choice for both new builds and restoration projects, offering a natural, locally sourced material that connects traditional design with the region’s historic character.
What limestone products do you supply?
We supply many limestone based natural stone products suitable for locations across the East Midlands. Everything from dry stone walling stone and building stone to detailed architectural stonemasonry. We also stock a large quantity of reclaimed limestone products suitable for restoration projects and heritage builds. We stock 2 types of limestone walling stone, Northamptonshire Cropped Grey Limestone and another type of building stone that is more mellow in colour.
Our Northamptonshire Grey Cropped Limestone is extracted from an exclusive quarry close to the historic market town of Oundle. Featuring beautiful tones of greys & blue, it is perfect for contemporary and traditional walling projects. This hand cropped building stone features longer lengths and more uniform course heights than other limestone on the market making it a great choice for house building. Cropped to a 150mm bed depth and featuring course heights from 2" to 6", this Blisworth limestone walling stone results in a beautiful premium finish.
Our Cropped Mellow Limestone is a cheaper alternative to our Oundle grey limestone. Closer to Lincolnshire Limestone in colour but much more dense, this Blisworth limestone features a more rustic traditional appearance. Cropped to an approximate bed depth of 150mm and featuring course heights from 2" to 6", the rustic appearance of this walling stone works great in landscaping projects.
Limestone Cock n' Hen Coping Stones are perfect for finishing off a traditional garden wall. Used extensively across the region, cock & hen helps to protect the wall underneath from weathering damage. It adds additional heights without have to use additional walling stone. In dry stone walling, wall copes are vital for finishing off free standing walls by tying both faces together. Our limestone cock n' hen is available in 2 sizes, 280-350mm wide or 350-450mm wide, suitable for a variety of projects.
Decent dry stone walling stone has been difficult to find within the region with many sources supplying stone that simply isn't suitable. As dry stone wallers ourselves, we know what walling stone is suitable and our hand-picked walling stone is perfect for projects where a mellow limestone is required. Much denser than Cotswold limestone, our hard wearing walling stone is perfect for dry stone walls across Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.
We stock a large quantity of Reclaimed Limestone Building Stone. Sourced from buildings throughout the region, our Reclaimed Walling Stone can be used for restoration projects where an already weathered stone is required. Featuring character and wear that simply isn't replicable with new stone, our reclaimed building stone can also be mixed with our newer building materials to produce a unique and appealing stone blend.
We can also produce limestone architectural stonemasonry and already have products such as Limestone Quoins in stock and ready to go. Various types of limestone block (such as Bath or Ancaster) are available for sawing into headers, sills and lintels. Contact us for a quotation.
How do I purchase your limestone?
Take a look above at the various types of limestone we stock and their prices. All of our stone can be mixed into custom blends to create a truly unique appearance for your project. If you have any questions or would like assistance deciding which stone you require, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are happy to provide samples and attend site visits. You can also purchase stone from our website which we can deliver to you or you can collect from one of our yards.
