Bed Rock

The materials used within this artwork will be hand carved using a local source of Ragstone from the Gallagher's Quarry, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone. I started carving and working the stone after long periods of hesitation, due to learning that the term ‘rag’ was given to stone that is hard to work!
Ragstone is a limestone and can therefore polish well with plenty of interesting pockets of colour. It was interesting to learn that King Henry V used the very same Kentish Ragstone to make cannon balls in 1419, when he ordered 7000 of these from the quarry in Maidstone.
In contrast to the ragstone, I also wanted to introduce a further stone element that will add texture and detail to the sculpture. This element of the sculpture will pick up on the history of the paper mill's while also making it relevant to the current residents of Hughenden Reach. 
 

Ragstone Beds at the Gallagher Quarry, Maidstone