Freestone

This is a short overview. For the background — history, value over time and notable mines — see Freestone →

A fine-grained sandstone or limestone that can be cut and worked freely in any direction without splitting along natural planes, quarried in blocks and dressed with hand tools. Valued as a building and monumental stone.

Mines

Show these mines on the map

Mine	Region	Worked
Beer Quarry Caves	Devon	1st century AD–1920s
Box Quarry	Wiltshire	Worked from at least the 17th-18th century–1968
Brockham Hearthstone Mine	Surrey	By 1879–February 1925
Browns Folly Mine	Somerset	—
Carmyllie Quarries	Angus	Late 18th century–20th century (railway closed 1965)
Clashach Quarry	Moray	from Early 1800s
Coombefield Quarry	Dorset	1890s–By 2006
Eastlays Quarry	Wiltshire	1887–1934
Headington Quarry	Oxfordshire	1396–1949
Monkton Farleigh Quarry	Wiltshire	1881–1930 (stone working)
Ridge Quarry	Wiltshire	1875–1914
Spring Quarry	Wiltshire	1875–1937
Tilly Whim Caves	Dorset	18th century–Around 1812
Tunnel Quarry, Corsham	Wiltshire	1844–1935 (stone working)
Winspit	Dorset	1719–1953 (surface working ceased c. 1940)
Yesnaby Quarries	Orkney	to After 1945