wideford
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"standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 09:10
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Anyone out there know if there is a proper name for a field boundary (at least I presume that is what they are/were) made from either close fitting upright slabs or standing stones with noticeable gaps in between them (see Breck spine in Orkney e.g.) ? And if so do they pre-date drystane walls.
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StoneLifter
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 10:22
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I believe these are usually known as 'Slate Fences' - even if the material is not slate. There are plenty of these in North Wales.
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fitzcoraldo
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 10:34
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Given the islands famous lack of wood, do you know that these stones are prehistoric?
We do have similar prehistoric boundary markers on the North York Moors, this being the best example http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5506 with the stone row predating the dyke that was thrown up around them.
Many examples of prehistoric field walls seem to be composed of low banks of rubble such as the Dartmoor reaves or this example from my patch http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/28061
This does not mean to say that the ancient Orcadians didn't indulge in dry stone walling, especially given their superior stone working abilities and the availability of suitable stone.
I guess that's one you need to discuss with the archaeos.
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wideford
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 11:40
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It is my opinion that most of these (particularly those of large standing stones) are prehistoric - I see them as likely having been as plentiful as present-day drystane walls. Further to this one wonders how many recorded standing stones are actually the scant remains of this kind of boundary, at least in Orkney (but who knows, maybe other places had them only mostly using wood between stones).
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FourWinds
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 13:34
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Ah ... 'Slate fences' ... They are so beautiful. There's one I try and drive past everytime I am around Dolgellau.
Several 'stone rows' in Ireland are said to be the remains of walls and not ritual monuments. The gound evidence to some dows indicate that they were at some time in a wall, but I don't know of an excavated example and so it is unclear if they are a
stone row->wall->stone row again
or just
wall->stone row
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wideford
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 13:42
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I am glad someone else brought up the possibility of some stone rows having been part of walls in the past. One of the disadvantages of the lack of timber in Orkney is that stones can be part of almost anything, you can't simply record every stone presence as in areas blessed with more diverse materials. And then they get moved or re-used for summat else too. Sigh.
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BrigantesNation
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 21:25
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They have been called "Megalithic walls" by some in Yorkshire, I know one site which is a really good example, showing how they were the result of the original field clearance with some of the original walls still standing to 6 feet, unlike most you get in Yorkshire which is usually just the bottom course serving as foundations for a more modern dry stone wall.
Some of these were incorporated into strip lynchets and appear to serve to hold up the bank.
I would say a lot of these date to the late Neo/Bronze Age, but its very difficult to prove.
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Moth
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 21:57
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I nearly mentioned those ones up near Reeth earlier George. Did I ever mention that me & Ginger John went & had a look at them? Really interesting stuff.
love
Moth
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David Raven
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 22:13
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There are some great examples of this old type of field boundary around Pendle and other parts of the south Pennines.
It's called 'vaccary walling' here.
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wideford
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Re: "standing stone fences"
Jun 03, 2004, 23:35
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Vaccary walling is the erect slabs around early mediaeval cattle farm enclosures, it sez 'ere.
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