EXHIBIT 99.1

Press Release

Rock of Ages Second Quarter Net Income
Increases 30% to a Record $0.54 Per Diluted Share

Board Authorizes Repurchase of Up To 500,000 Shares

CONCORD, N.H.,Aug. 1, 2001...ROCK OF AGES CORPORATION (NASDAQ/NMS:ROAC)announced today that net income for the second quarter ended June 30, 2001 increased 30% to a record $4,161,000, or $0.54 per diluted share. This compares to net income of $3,211,000, or $0.42 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2000. Revenue increased 9% to a record $31,300,000 versus $28,813,000 for the same period a year earlier.

For the six months ended June 30, 2001, net income was $412,000, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared to net income of $520,000, or $0.07 per diluted share, for last year's first half. Revenue increased to $44,619,000 from $43,047,000 last year.

"Rock of Ages' record second quarter performance reflects higher revenue and operating income in each of our divisions. The improvement was most notable in our retail division, where operating income increased 43% to a record $4,102,000 on a 7% increase in revenue to a record $15,794,000. "We now are beginning to see the benefits of the many operational enhancements we put in place in our retail operations over the past year, including our system-wide memorial branding, pricing, and sales and marketing programs, as well as our computerized MIS system. We expect further gains in operating income in our retail division in the second half compared to last year," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kurt Swenson.

The backlog of orders in the company's retail operations was approximately $14,900,000 at June 30, 2001. This compares to backlog of $14,200,000 at June 30, 2000 and $12,400,000 at Dec. 31, 2000.

Swenson added that cash flow, as measured by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), rose to $7,881,000 for this year's second quarter from $6,096,000 a year ago.

Reaffirms Guidance for 2001

"We continue to expect revenue for 2001 as a whole of approximately $100,000,000 and net income in the range of $0.60 to $0.65 per diluted share," Swenson said. For 2000, Rock of Ages reported revenue of $90,693,000 and net income of $0.33 per diluted share.

Board Authorizes Repurchase of Up To 500,000 Shares

The company also announced that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to 500,000 shares of its common stock. The company may make purchases from time to time in the open market or in private transactions at prevailing market prices.

"We are optimistic about Rock of Ages' growth prospects in the years ahead, and pleased by the progress we have made in implementing our retail strategy and in refining the operating models in each of our divisions. We believe that these developments are not properly reflected in Rock of Ages' current stock price, and that our own stock represents one of the most attractive investment opportunities available to us. Our goal is to enhance shareholder value while preserving financial flexibility," Swenson said.

About Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages (www.RockofAges.com) is the largest integrated granite quarrier, manufacturer and retailer of finished granite memorials and granite blocks for memorial use in North America.

Conference Call

Rock of Ages has scheduled a conference call today at 11:00 a.m. EDT. A live Webcast may be accessed at www.StreetFusion.com or at www.RockofAges.com. A replay will be available immediately following the Webcast at these same Internet addresses. For a telephone replay, dial 800/633-8284, reservation No. 19456378, beginning at approximately 1:00 p.m. EDT.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including those described above and the following: changes in demand for the company's products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the success of the company's branding programs; the excess or shortage of production capacity, difficulties encountered in the integration of acquired businesses; weather conditions and other risks discussed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports. In addition, such statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates, and general domestic and international economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

ROCK OF AGES CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	June 30,				June 30,
	2001		2000		2001		2000
Net Revenues:
Quarrying	$	7,263	$	6,716	$	11,776	$	10,353
Manufacturing		7,381		7,359		11,530		12,845
Retailing		15,794		14,738		19,731		19,849
Cemeteries		862		—		1,582		—
Total net revenues		31,300		28,813		44,619		43,047
Gross Profit:
Quarrying		3,231		3,208		4,167		3,877
Manufacturing		2,217		2,250		2,556		3,347
Retailing		9,971		8,391		11,457		11,149
Cemeteries		570		—		1,057		—
Total gross profit		15,989		13,849		19,237		18,373
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Quarrying		866		971		1,669		1,595
Manufacturing		1,366		1,519		2,545		2,812
Retailing		5,869		5,527		10,588		10,541
Cemeteries		447		—		934		—
Total SG&A expenses		8,548		8,017		15,736		14,948
Divisional operating income
Quarrying		2,365		2,237		2,498		2,282
Manufacturing		851		731		11		535
Retailing		4,102		2,864		869		608
Cemeteries		123		—		123		—
Divisional operating income		7,441		5,832		3,501		3,425
Unallocated corporate overhead		879		975		1,784		1,636
Income from operations		6,562		4,857		1,717		1,789
Income tax		1,919		1,102		216		158
Net income	$	4,161	$	3,211	$	412	$	520
Per share information:
Net income - Basic	$	0.55	$	0.43	$	0.05	$	0.07
Net income - Diluted	$	0.54	$	0.42	$	0.05	$	0.07
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic		7,571		7,451		7,519		7,449
Diluted		7,644		7,575		7,599		7,574

ROCK OF AGES CORPORATION
COMPARATIVE BALANCE SHEET
($ IN THOUSANDS)

		June 30, 2001			December 31, 2000
		(unaudited)			(audited)
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
	Cash & Cash Equivalents	$	1,977		$	9,501
	Trade Receivables		21,876			15,487
	Inventories		30,123			22,910
	Deferred Tax Assets		576			576
	Other Current Assets		3,963			3,535
	TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS		58,515			52,009
OTHER ASSETS
	C.S.V. Life Insurance		1,593			1,599
	Goodwill		35,857			36,083
	Deferred Tax Assets		—			—
	Cemetery Trusts		12,973			—
	Other		1,184			1,415
	TOTAL OTHER ASSETS		51,607			39,098
FIXED ASSETS
	Property and Equipment		80,275			74,551
	Less Accumulated Depreciation		31,310			30,105
	NET FIXED ASSETS		48,965			44,447
	TOTAL ASSETS	$	159,087		$	135,554
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
	Borrowings under Line of Credit	$	8,224		$	10,340
	Current Portion LTD		1,239			792
	Deferred Compensation Payable		164			164
	Accounts Payable		1,988			1,687
	Accrued Expenses		4,254			3,430
	Income Taxes Payable		—			—
	Customer Deposits		8,494			6,721
	TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES		24,363			23,134
	Long-Term Debt, Excluding Current Portion		17,749			18,527
	Deferred Compensation		3,381			3,381
	Deferred Cemetery Revenue		21,226			—
	Other Liabilities		3,129			1,792
	TOTAL LIABILITIES		69,848			46,834
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
	Common Stock		76			75
	Additional Paid In Capital		68,170			67,996
	Retained Earnings		21,448			21,041
	Cumulative Translation Adjustment		(455	)		(392	)
	TOTAL EQUITY		89,239			88,720
	TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY	$	159,087		$	135,554