WALLS
AND FENCES |
Although
the main use of fissile stone is for roofing and flooring, its flaggy nature
also makes it good for field boundaries or fences. |
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There are many areas where these
fences are used. The Drystone Walling
Association have published information about them here
and here
and the Rochdale Civic Society have published an excellent survey of flagstone
and vaccary walls in Rochdale and Wardle. |
Vaccary (Latin vaccaria
from vacca, a cow) walls are made with large flattish slabs, usually much
thicker than flag fences. They enclosed large pastures for breeding cattle
or oxen. They are most common in the Pennines especially in Yorkshire and
Lancashire.
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Flaggy walling stone seems to have
been used in a special way for habour walls. Presumably the vertical arrangement
makes the flags less likely to be lifted by storm waves and allows water
to drain out more easily. The pictures of Castletown harbour in Caithness
are a good example and there are others at Easdale Island in Scotland and
in the Isle of Man. |
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Easdale Island harbour Scotland
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Vertical laying isn't always the
case though. At Port Dinorwic in North Wales waste from roofing slates
has been laid horizontally for the walls at the harbour entrance. |
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