Newholm Wall

This wall had several gaps in it caused by a collision with a car and snow ploughs pushing it over when shoving snow off this road not far from Whitby.
Like many walls around the North Yorkshire Moors this one breaks most walling rules. All the stones are 'traced', which means they are put with their longest length along the wall, instead of being placed with their longest length into the centre of the wall This is contrary to 'normal' walling practice. The field side of this wall is completely uncoursed random rubble. Through stones were also used, cut at one one end to match this side and left uncut to match the random walling on the field side.


These were exceptionally well cut stones and amazingly after myself and the owner dug them out of the field where they'd laid for several years I pleased to discover none had been taken away for gardens! Equally there were none to spare!!

In the top photograph was one of my early attempts to repair a gap. I soon discovered that because each course of stone was precisely cut for each course placing them carelessly results in irregular and uneven stonework and having to use two small courses to match one larger one. By the time I'd got to the last gap I'd got the hang of this and my repair is unnoticeable from the remainder of the wall. Even though my early repairs weren't perfect, the owner was pleased and so was I especially as the wall around this field had several gaps that had been there for up to ten years, was close to one of my favourite pubs and only a mile or so from my home!.