A Perfect Repair?

I was recently asked whether my stonework is 'perfectly neat'.  The answer is not always,  nor should it be when you are carrying out a repair.  It is important to match the shape and style of the wall.  If the stone work isn't coursed then I'm not too sure you should make it coursed.  Similarly if it is coursed then you should endeavour to match the existing wall. 

You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear - this is how the original wallers built the wall and it stood the test of time.  

From the picture below my repair seen from side on doesn't appear very neat.  However most of the stones were put length in, where appropriate and there were a number of through stones - no new stone was used in this repair and the rather straggly tops matched the existing wall as can be seen from the second photograph.

Above = A repair of a wall in Goathland, N.YKS

But it matches the rest of the wall in style!!

Some repairs

A few random walls I've repaired in and around Whitby & Goathland.  The old and the new are, I hope closely matched in style, although this is helped by the use of the original stone or stone of similiar type and size being used for the repaired gaps.

Above = Next to Whitby Abbey

Hawthorne Hill Farm - Goathland

Bayness - nr Robin Hood's Bay