|
Stone fences (also called walls after the
Scottish tradition) can be seen in all quarters of the Commonwealth. As
many as we now have, it is only 5 to 10 percent of the original walls.
Fortunately, there many out there who are dedicated to the repair and
preservation of our remaining walls. The
Dry Stone Conservancy was formed to save this part of our heritage and
conduct regular workshops for those interested in learning the art of dry laid
stone.
Contrary to popular belief, the stone walls of
Kentucky were not built by slaves, at least most were not. Itinerate
masons traveled around the state contracting for the jobs. These masons were from the British Isles where dry laid stone work went back
generations. It is called "dry laid" because there is no mortar in the
wall. It is held together by placing the stones in a particular fashion
that locks them all together. The resulting structure is both strong and
flexible, allowing ground movement while staying together. That is how it is
supposed to work anyway. Many of the original walls in Kentucky lack one or more of
the essential elements of wall construction, which is why they need repair
today.
Below are some of the ongoing projects around
central Kentucky. If you have pictures of other projects or other
dry laid stone structures, and would like to submit them, contact the
webmaster.
|