# OT - stone walls for Pauline



## rileyjo (Feb 14, 2005)

The stonewalls surrounding Fordson Major's house. You will have to ask him how long they took to build. All the stone was hauled out of the fields surrounding the farm.

Across the front








Bordering the garden








Stone wall continues into the backyard


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

When I lived in England (eons ago) these were everywhere. They called them random stone walls.


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## jd4020 (Feb 24, 2005)

Those walls are surely an art form! Love them!
We have lots of stones and rocks in our fields here, some are down by the stream and others line my flower beds. 
jd


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I love stone walls. I built one once. That was enough. Thanks for sharing.


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

Thank you so much Rileyjo!! I'm going to put the pics in my inspiration folder. That's a lot of work and it's not easy when you're using rock straight out of the ground - no nicely dressed edges or flat bottoms. They look wonderful. 

I'm in the middle of building one up the driveway. Had to take off during the heat of the summer but I started back on it this week. I'll take a pic and put it here.

You should give it a go WIHH. I'm no expert but find it very theraputic. Hours slide by un-noticed ( until hubby rolls up and I realize there's nothing been made for supper!!) Wear leather gloves.

Bengay becomes your best friend.  

Marchie, I didn't know you'd lived in England. Where abouts?

Pauline


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I live in and around Bristol 1978-1981 Love it and miss it.

Seems to me the walls there, although built up for centuries were thicker maybe 2-3 feet thick, very stout and not very high, maybe 3 feet high. They had "turnstiles" in the walls between pastures. Very clever ways to get from pasture to pasture without letting the animals escape. I halfheartedly looked for pictures but couldn't find any.


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

I know what you're talking about Marchie. There are some really neat stiles and "Kissing Gates". Many farms have a public right of way through their pastures. Most have been there for hundreds of years and the farmer is required by law to have safe stiles in good repair. I didn't know this until recently. I always thought it was so kind of farmers to let people walk across their land and to even build steps over wall etc. But the law goes back over 300 years I think. It sure makes for nice hikes!

Well, here's the wall I'm in the middle of building. Started the end of January and stopped in May. Most of the rock came out of the ground and the creek bed. 

I would like to try my hand at building a small timber frame lych gate in the gap there between the two walls.
































The original plan was to build a sheep fold. It might become one eventually.

Wonder if it will hold up for a hundred years? 

Here's a picture of a lych gate.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lychgate 

Most old churches have them. There are many fascinating designs with marvelous workmanship. Mine will just have to be very simple!

Thanks for the ot discussion. Though stone walls and sheep go together like horses and carriages - imho 

Pauline


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## fordson major (Jul 12, 2003)

very nice Pauline!! the one at home i built over the course of 2 summers in spare (ha!) time using rock from the fields and an old road bed up through the farm. still a work in progress. the larger rock i used a skid steer backhoe or field tractor to move.


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

They're beautiful Fordson Major! 

Yes, you have some pretty hefty rocks in there. We don't have a (working) tractor and I'm pretty small so there's a limit to the size of rocks I can use. The bigger ones I pull along with one of those pointed garden hoes, inch by inch. Not as much work as it sounds. Getting them up the bank out of the creek-bed is the hardest part.

Nice to find another walling enthusiast.

Pauline


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Beautiful! Around here the farmers make posts by forming cattle panels or hog-wire into a round shape and filling with the stones from the fields. I love them too.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Love the stone walls -- very impressed with your work Pauline!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

DragonFlyFarm said:


> Love the stone walls -- very impressed with your work Pauline!


Same here, you go girl!


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

Thank you!

I'm going to try to get a bit further with it today. Just came in from doing chores and it's absolutely gorgeous out there. 

I hope everyone else is having such a beautiful fall day. Acorns are landing with little pops on the ground and all the crows are cawing and talking to each other. Gives me goosebumps. A good walling day.


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

Way in the back of our pasture there is a old stone wall thats in disrepair. Its at a place where we dont go often and it sure isnt as nice as yours Pauline or Fordson Major...Very Nice!


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