FOCUS ON….. Dry Stone Walling
Think of the Cotswolds and, apart from stunning scenery and quaint towns and villages,dry stone walls will probably come to mind as one of the outstanding features as they criss-cross the landscape for miles.
First used in Neolithic times to mark bouindaries and keep in livestock, you may nit know that one of the earliest examples is just outside Winchcombe at Belas Knap, where the walls date from about 300BC.
Locallt quarried limestone is abundant in the Cotswolds making it the obvious choice for long lasting structures. Building starts by removing surface soil and turf and setting larger blocks as foundation stones. A typical wall is 2ft wide at t he base, narrowing to 14″ at the top. Known as a ‘Batter’, this design makes the structure stronger and more durable. As it rises, the wall is filled in the middle with small stones and an occasional larger through stone or ‘bonder’ is used to hold the two faces together. When the required height is reached, the wall is topped off with vertical stones, which in the Cotswolds are known as ‘cocks and hens’ although you may lso know these as ‘kings and queens’ or ‘combers’.
The term ‘dry’ stone refers to the fact that no mortar is used in the building process. The interlocking of the stones within the wall provides the strength and, as there is no mortar to perish, the finished structure lasts for many years.
We are able to offer a wide range of reclaimed Cotswold walling stone for your project from a simple repair to a complete new wall. We are also able to offer new Cotswold and Pennant walling stone through our associated quarries.
Please see our website for details of current stock or call in to see us.