Millennium Wall Sections

West Yorkshire DSWA Branch

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STONE/GEOLOGY

Type/Age - Upper Millstone Grit - 'Rough Rock', Carboniferous (315 million years).

These sandstones were deposited by rivers and their delta fronts as they advanced south and westwards over much of Northern England.

Source - Crosland Hill Quarry, Huddersfield.

There are many local variations of walling in the Pennines depending on the type of sandstone available (especially the nature of the bedding) and the ways in which throughstones are used, the style of coping stones, whether or not the stone is coursed (layered regularly as here) or is random, and the use of a coverband. The coverband is of thin through stones (just below the cope stones) used to protect the wall and as an even base for cope stones. A stepover style has been included here. 'Hogsbacks' are used as protective copes where the stile crosses the wall. The elegance of this wall reflects that of a country estate or parkland rather than farm walls.

WALLERS - Frank Dickin, Ken France, David Griffiths, Lawrence Jones, Beverley Howe, John Billington, Adrian Kenny, Roger Depledge, Margaret Ribchester

SPONSOR - Johnsons Wellfield Quarries Ltd, Huddersfield.

Cotswold DSWA Branch

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STONE/GEOLOGY

Type and Age - Great Oolite (Limestone) Middle Jurassic (163-188 million years).

The pinhead sized grains in this stone are known as ooliths (hence the rock name 'oolite'). These shelly limestones were deposited in shallow tropical seas similar to today's Bahamas.

Source - Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire.

This 'Jurassic Stone Belt' runs from the Dorset Coast, through Somerset, Bath, the Cotswolds, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and south east Yorkshire. The rich limestone grasslands in these areas formed the basis for the wealth of the Medieval wool trade, used to work the honey coloured freestones into beautiful churches and villages - and later, great country houses. All were framed by mile upon mile of rubbly limestone walls - the stone being mainly gathered from clearing the fields themselves. The irregular coping stones deter sheep from jumping the walls.

WALLERS - Peggy Burke, David Walmesley-Cotham, Ian McEwan, Vincent Gill, Cliff Cooper, Jamie Mc Colm.

SPONSORS - Natural Stone Market; Wymark Co; Cotswold Frame Makers.

South Yorkshire DSWA Branch

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STONE/GEOLOGY

Type and Age - Sandstone('Gritstone') Mexborough Rock, Middle Coal Measures, Carboniferous(310 Million Years).

This is one of the many sandstones forming part of Coal Measure cycles - in which seat earth and coal grade upwards through mudstones to sandstones.

Source - Blackmoor Quarry, Ulley, Sheffield.

The contrast between the lowermost course of large foundation stones and the rest of the wall is very evident. The long slab bridges a 'sheep creep'. This enables farmers to separate out new lambs from ewes, allowing the lambs access to a feed of 'clean' grass. Depending on the area, they are also known as cripple holes, smoots, lunky holes, thawls, hog holes, thirl holes, or sheep smooses. Some of the stone here is sawn off-cuts, i.e. recycled 'waste' from shaping dressed stone.

WALLERS - John and Sandra Lackenby, Carl Glaves, Tom Valentine, Phil Rowell, Hilary Richardson, George Wright.

SPONSOR - Harris Quarries.

South East Scotland DSWA Branch

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STONE/GEOLOGY

Type and Age - Dolerite (locally known as Whinstone) - Upper Carboniferous (290 million years). Dolerite is a 'basic' (as opposed to acidic) igneous rock with medium sized crystals - it is a coarser grained version basalt - indicating that it cooled more slowly, below ground. There are many dolerite outcrops in the Central Belt of Scotland.

Source - Duntilland Quarry, Salsburgh, Shotts, North Lanarkshire.

In Scotland, walls are known as dykes. From the mid C19th dolerite was quarried for roads and buildings and spare stone was used for dyking. This rock is dense, extremely hard and has irregular angles. Some of the larger founds and throughstones weigh almost a quarter of a tonne and may be moved using a hessian sack. The style of dyking and stone used give the impression of the dyke being in three distinct horizontal sections (see above). Coverstanes and copes are used to top the double dyke. The coverstanes keep the top flat and protect the dyke. The sheer weight of these pairs of stones helps to hold the dyke in place and if a cope is dislodged, the coverstane remains secure.

DYKERS - Bruce Curtis and Richard Love.

SPONSOR - Aggregate Industries UK Ltd.