Ancient Kentish Ragstone forms part of this year’s London Olympic Games building works.

This highly regarded grey limestone, used in the construction of some of the best-loved historic buildings in South East England, including Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London, is being used for part of the Olympics infrastructure.

Gallagher Group, the owners of the Hermitage Quarry in Kent, which provides the only remaining supply of high-quality Kentish Ragstone, is pleased to be able to supply the stone for the forthcoming London Olympic Games.

The group has secured two off-park schemes for ISG Plc, the principal contractor on behalf of LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games & Paralympic Games).

The schemes using the Ragstone are located in the Lee Valley, home to the White Water Rafting Centre and at Hadleigh Farm, the venue for the Olympic Mountain Bike course.  Both schemes are off-park and will be undertaken in eight to 12 weeks, running concurrently.

Kentish Ragstone was also supplied to restore the walls of the River Lee which runs through the Olympic Park.  Blocks and coping stones of the heritage material were used to match the existing river walls.

Nick Yandle, Chief Executive of Gallagher Group in Kent, said: "Using locally-sourced indigenous materials is all part of being 'the sustainable Games'.

"We are delighted and honoured to have made a contribution to the London Olympic Games and look forward to watching Team GB win lots of medals in the summer."

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