1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Rag-stone

RAG-STONE (probably equivalent to “ragged” stone), a name given by some architectural writers to work done with stones which are quarried in thin pieces, such as the Horsham sandstone, Yorkshire stone, the slate stones, &c.; but this is more properly flag or slab work. By rag-stone, near London, is meant an excellent material from the neighbourhood of Maidstone. It is a very hard limestone of bluish-grey colour, and peculiarly suited for medieval work. It is often laid as uncoursed work, or random work (see Random), sometimes as random coursed work and sometimes as regular ashlar. The first method, however, is the more picturesque. (See Masonry.)