I'm dipping back into the past for awhile until we have something new and interesting to share around here. This is a remarkable old stone fencerow that is actually a dry stone wall. It was located on the farm beside our previous home, and I walked here with our dog for several years. The stones are all piled to create vertical walls, and it stretched from nearly at the barn almost to the back of the farm.
At first glance you might not notice anything special about this line of stones, but once you look more closely you notice how unique this is.
It's a little hard to illustrate with photos because in the summer it's covered with green and in the winter with white. A skiff of snow like this is ideal.
As you can see, it's a long farm lane that went straight back down the middle of the farm.
By getting closer I think you can see the vertical sides better.
This was probably built 120 years ago, but is still stable today. You could climb up and walk along the top; it's about five feet thick.
I remember learning about this place when you first wrote about it. Very interesting indeed.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a jumble on the surface of it, but, remarkably, it has weather the elements for more than a century.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful wall and difficult to build with rounded stones. Those old stone walls are just fascinating, especially when you consider the labor that went into building them. I really enjoyed this article https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-stone-walls-became-a-signature-landform-of-new-england-180983250/ Here in northcentral Pennsylvania we have our own stone wall heritage https://forestandfield.blogspot.com/2018/01/unfinished-wall.html
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful wall. It should have historic significance recognition, whatever way possible! Dry stone walls are difficult in the first place, but with all those round stones, this one is indeed a work of art.
ReplyDeleteI love those old stone walls. Lots of work goes into that!!!
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents farm in rural Newfoundland had rock wall fences separating fields. My great grandfather was an Irish immigrant to Newfoundland in the 1860s. I learned years later, great grandfather reproduced on his farm, what he had see in his homeland.
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband and I visited Ireland, I couldn’t believe the rock walls in the fields just like there were in Maddox Cove, Newfoundland on that little farm. I had a good cry.
I always enjoy seeing these old stone walls, they are amazing.
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of photographs.
All the best Jan
Those old stone fences are common in my area too. I have one running through my bush!
ReplyDeleteLove this post. We have so many stone fences around here. It boggles the mind, thinking of how much labour went into building them. I asked a neighbour who is directly related to the original settlers...why did his folk choose this hilly, rocky land to settle? He said he was told that it reminded them of where they hailed from, in Poland. They came with nothing, and made a life, eking enough out of these rocky hills to keep body and soul together. Back in November 2020, I made a post about our stone fences.
ReplyDeleteThe work that went into building the wall is mindboggling to me. First, bringing the stones from the fields and then the wall itself. There is no mortar, correct? That it is standing after all these years is testament to the skill and ingenuity of the early settlers.
ReplyDeleteJust think of the labour involved to build this stone fence. Gathering all the stones, sorting for size and building the wall so it would not collapse. Nowadays it would probably be expensive to purchase those stones as I don't think they are just laying around on the fields anymore.
ReplyDeleteBuilt to last.
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing rock wall. I assume that is a carry over from a group of people who lived n Europe and made stone walls.
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