Following his rescue, on Sunday January 23, the cat was taken to vets and then to a cattery by the charity, which hopes to reunite him with his owner or find him a new home.

Read more: Sad, angry, cold, cute – what do you see in the Northeast waves with faces?

Inspector Ruth Thomas-Coxon said: ‘It was an unusual call and the poor cat was very scared and a bit aggressive.

“At first it looked like he chose to hide inside the space, but he didn’t try to run away when we got closer so I was worried he was hurt. or sick.

“The owner of the paddocks and the wall came out and we removed some stones to dismantle the upper part of the wall and free the cat. He rushed at it and jumped to another part of the wall where we were able to catch up to him.

Ruth left the owner to rebuild the wall and took the cat, now nicknamed Freddy, to the vet.

“The vets found him to be in fairly good health although he had matting in his coat which they removed,” she said.

“He was a sweet and friendly cat, so I wondered if he was a missing pet, but he didn’t have a microchip. I researched nearby, put up a poster where we rescued him and also put his profile on PetsLocated but sadly he hasn’t been claimed yet.

“He is being cared for at a local cattery and if no one comes forward for him, we will find him a new home.”

Anyone who recognizes Freddy can contact the RSPCA hotline on 0300-1238018.

To help the RSPCA continue to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals, you can call the charity’s donation line on 0300-1238181.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest news in the area by clicking here.

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Do you have a story for us? Contact our press office on [email protected] or contact 01325 505054

Although it almost always looks exactly like solid stone, stone cladding is usually just a refined layer of natural or man-made stone. This layer is applied to a non load-bearing wall and will give the impression that the wall is made of solid stone.

Cladding in general is the simple practice of layering materials for better thermal insulation, better weather protection, or aesthetic appeal – as is often the case with stone cladding. Probably the most common type of siding is wood plank siding, of which there are several types such as fiber cement, aluminum, vinyl, and wood, to name a few. Learn about common types of Weatherboard siding and what it can do for you. here.

Stone cladding in particular is a great option for transforming interior or exterior walls. It is suitable for both new construction and renovation since it simply covers the existing walls. The category encompasses many types of stone, including granite, sandstone, limestone, marble, quartz, and slate.

There are two main styles of stone cladding: cladding panels (easy installation – best suited for machine split textured designs) or individual slip veneer (can be customized to wall dimensions, looks more authentic, harder to install and more expensive).

Stone cladding is one of the more expensive cladding materials, so it may not be the right choice for those on an extremely strict budget. Including installation prices, stone veneer will cost between $230 and $310 per square meter depending on the type of stone you purchase.

For those who like the look of stone but cannot afford the authenticity of natural stone materials, you might want to consider stone tiles instead. The main thing to consider when considering installing stone cladding is your budget; it will determine the type, volume and quality of stone material you can purchase.

Stone coating is a complicated process with several stages that is best done by professionals. You may be able to DIY if you have experience installing stone cladding, but for the hobbyist this is definitely a process to be left to the proper contractors. Improperly installed stone cladding systems deteriorate much faster, can be hazardous to building occupants, and could even compromise the structural integrity of the building.

Stone Wall Cladding Design Ideas: Top 5

5. Exterior stone cladding – Facade

Stone cladding has a number of practical benefits outdoors as well as its supreme aesthetic appeal. Particular benefits of exterior stone cladding include; it’s durable, versatile, low maintenance and sure to increase the value of your home.

Eco Outdoor offers a wide range of natural stone cladding materials with easy application to all suitable surfaces. Their dry stone wall, pictured above, is particularly beautiful as it has a natural, rugged elegance reminiscent of authentic Italian farmhouses. You can browse their huge range here, from Alpine stone options to Baw Baw to Jindera. Request a quote for a price estimate.

4. Interior Stone Cladding – Feature Wall

A feature wall is the perfect way to enjoy the benefits of a natural stone aesthetic without having to go through the expensive process of remodeling your entire home.

Stone walls bring the rustic and simplicity of natural living into your home while allowing for the luxury of modern living.

They can be accented with shelves displaying pictures or plants, or if you really want to emphasize the mix of nature and modern, you can even choose to mount your TV on the feature wall.

There are many styles, colors and textures available. The image above is a collage of some of the coating samples available from Stone and Rock. Browse their extensive range here or you can visit their showrooms in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, East Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

3. Fireplace

Leaning into the rustic mountain lodge feel of a stone clad wall will create a beautiful natural experience that will remind you of simpler times. A fireplace wall is the perfect way to do this, and it can be installed indoors or outdoors.

Veneer stone is a popular choice for fireplace stone wall cladding and their designs are all inspired by native Australian stone. Veneer Stone is an Australian company whose coatings are exhibited in Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin and Perth.

You can browse their beautiful gallery of feature wall images for inspiration here or contact for a quote.

2. Bathroom

The bathroom is a great opportunity to bring in raw materials in contrast to the pristine tiles and smooth surfaces of typical contemporary bathrooms.

Because bathrooms are often quite small compared to the rest of the house, it’s also an opportunity for those on a tight budget to add a touch of elegance to their home without breaking the bank, because the tiles of stone are perfect for use in the bathroom as they can be easily sealed and waterproofed.

It is also available in abundance. You can purchase the Gioi Greige Stack Matt porcelain tile featured above for just $55 per square meter. Installing stone look tiles is much easier than veneer or genuine stone and you will likely be able to save money on a contractor as it can be a DIY project.

1. Living room

The living room is one of the most important rooms in the house and the room your guests are likely to see the most. A stone wall is a breathtaking addition to any living room and will make it easier to connect with your guests as it represents a desire to return to a simpler, less technological era.

Luxe Interiors is particularly known for its skill in styling stone wall coverings with elegant rustic colors and furnishings. Browse their galleries here.

Aussietecture is also a high quality supplier of interior and exterior stone. You can purchase the natural sandstone cladding pictured above here for $105 per square meter (currently on sale) or browse their natural stone wall gallery for more options.

One of the oldest building techniques in existence, dry stone wall (sometimes also referred to as a drystack) involves building walls by simply stacking stones on top of each other. Unlike brick walls, which require wet mortar to hold them together, dry stone walls do not require mortar. These walls simply rely on gravity, as well as the skills of those who build them, for their stability.

In fact, stability is one of the most impressive characteristics of these structures. Well-constructed dry stone walls can be expected to last over 100 years and some even to last 200 years.

This impressive fact, along with several other advantages and their aesthetic appeal, has resulted in an increase in the popularity of dry stone walls here in Australia. These are old examples of this construction method in this country, although there are usually not as many examples here as elsewhere. Maybe this current wave of popularity will change that.

This is because many people are starting to use dry cell batteries for things like stone cladding, dry stone retaining wall, dry stone wall cladding, or a feature wall in an urban setting.

The history of dry stone walls

A well-known and beloved feature of the rural landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland, the dry stone walls date back to the Neolithic Age. The first copies date from around 5,000 BC. However, dry stone walls are not limited to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. They were also part of the Mayan civilization in South America and can be found all over Europe, Greece and also in Alpine regions.

The pros and cons of dry stone walls – the positives

Appearance – sturdy and almost incredibly rustic, dry stone walls have a timeless aesthetic appeal. On top of that, these walls hold considerable cultural significance to communities in Great Britain and Ireland, the nations in which they are best known.

Ecological – dry stone walls involve the use of readily available natural materials. In cases where the walls are no longer useful, they can simply be deconstructed and the stones used elsewhere. In addition to this, dry stone walls provide habitats for mosses, lichens, etc. They are part of the ecosystem and encourage inner life and more.

Longevity – As already mentioned, evidence of the first dry stone walls has been found more than 5,000 years after their construction and one can expect such walls built today to last a century or more. There is no doubt about its impressive longevity.

Materials – Anytime you build a dry stone wall or fence, there is one thing you can be sure of. You only need one material, stones.

The pros and cons of dry stone walls – the negatives

Work time – Dry stone walls take a long time to build and for this reason they are relatively expensive.

Dependence on skilled labor – In addition to this, dry stone walls are highly dependent on the skills of those doing the work. Poorly constructed dry stone walls simply won’t last. They will collapse.

Applications are limited – Traditionally, dry stone walls were primarily used to manage livestock. While it does this job well, it is limited in terms of fence height. Anything larger than about 1.5 meters is not possible. A larger structure built using this technique would not be stable or secure.

Dependent on a good supply of stone – As mentioned, dry stone walls usually involve locally sourced stones. The problem is, if that supply runs out or just isn’t there, the job stops.

How to build a dry stone wall

Step 1 – Choose the location for your wall and mark it using stakes, string or a similar method. Here it is important to check the width of your larger stones first. This will determine the width of your wall.

2nd step – Dig a six-inch trench that extends an additional six inches beyond where your wall will stand on all sides. Fill this trench with 10 cm of crushed stone as a foundation.

Step 3 – Sort your stones and place them in piles according to their size: small, medium and large. The purpose of this step is to make sure that you are using stones of a similar size side by side and that you also have a good amount of small stones to use as needed to fill in the gaps.

Step 4 – Keeping in mind that the lower levels of the wall should be slightly wider than the others, select stones for your lower layer. Choosing stones of similar size, place them side by side as close to each other as possible and as carefully as possible. Fill in the spaces between these stones with smaller stones. The idea is that all of these stones fit together as tightly as possible, almost like a puzzle.

Step 5 – Once you’ve completed your first horizontal layer, you’re ready to move on to the next layer. Follow the directions from step 4 as you slowly build your wall higher. When you start to lay stones on top of each other, it is important to always make sure that one stone is covered in pairs, much like a normal brick wall. Using this technique maximizes strength and ensures the integrity of your dry stone wall.

Step 6 – Once your wall has reached the desired height, you are ready to lay the top stones, called capstones. This is the only time you have to use mortar. Do this making sure to keep the mortar about six inches from the edge of the wall.

How much does a dry stone wall cost?

As mentioned, traditionally the high cost of dry stone walls was mainly due to the large amount of manpower it requires. In places where an immediate supply of stones is not available, you should add the cost of their supply.

Generally in Australia you can expect to pay around $ 300 per meter for a dry stone wall. And that’s quite a steep price for a retaining wall, siding, etc.

A deteriorating dry stone wall which is a key part of a “heritage village” needs to be partially demolished and rebuilt.

Parts of the wall in the purpose-built industrial village of Nangreaves, north of Bury, are home to sizable trees and shrubs and much of it has collapsed.

The wall faces the Grade II Listed Weavers’ Cottages at Mount Pleasant in the village.

The row of cottages are listed as a Conservation Area, designated in 1974 and the village contains other listed buildings in the Lord Raglan Pub and High Hope Farm.

In an urban planning request, Bury Council, which will undertake the work, said: “The buildings that make up the village are industrial terraces and farm buildings, highlighting the two previous uses of the site.

“The wall that is the subject of this request faces the Grade II classified terraces.

“It is an important limit to contain the forest but also to define the perimeter of the built environment of the conservation zone.

“There is a proposal to repair the wall, restore the original solid border with Mount Pleasant and secure it.

“To do this, the fallen sections will be rebuilt.

“Vegetation such as ivy, self-seeded escaped garden plants and self-seeded ash trees growing in the wall will all be removed and these wall sections reconstructed.

“The roots will have sunk into the heart of the wall, which means that a complete reconstruction will be necessary.”

The request says Bury Council agents have already spoken to Mount Pleasant residents about the condition of the wall and the repair and reconstruction.

Historically, residents have created planters at the top of the wall to create a colorful view from their windows.

The council said that by installing new flat stone copings, residents will continue to have the option of hanging plant pots and tubs on the wall, providing a colorful backdrop.

The planning request was approved by council last week.

The 122-meter (400-foot) dry stone wall section near Case Manor on Canal Street in Bobcaygeon is one of only two in Kawartha Lakes.

Known as the Edgewood Drywall, it is now in serious need of repair. Environmental Action Bobcaygeon volunteers are determined to save him, according to a press release. The wall was built from 1890 to 1891 and will undergo a full restoration for its 130th anniversary this year.

The “rare and excellent example,” as the volunteers describe it, of the construction of dry stone walls in the 19th century was something that the early settlers of Ontario built. The Boyd family paid the farmers $ 1 for each wagon of stones brought to the site.

Building a dry stone wall requires a high degree of technical achievement; the technique has been recognized by UNESCO for its scenic appeal and cultural significance.

With repair costs estimated at $ 70,000, the Bobcaygeon Group has partnered with the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes to create the Edgewood Stone Wall Fund to facilitate community donations.

For more information on the campaign and how to help, visit www.EdgewoodStoneWall.com

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A group of Bobcaygeon volunteers are working on the restoration of a local historic monument and seeking community donations to help fund the project.

When European settlers arrived in Ontario in the 19th century, they brought with them the ancient tradition of dry stone walls – walls built from stone without any mortar to hold them together.

Very few drystone walls survive in the Kawarthas, with the notable exception of the Edgewood drystone wall at 28 Boyd Street in Bobcaygeon.

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The wall was commissioned by WTC “Willy” Boyd, the son of 19th century lumber baron Mossom Boyd, as an aesthetic wall around the former Edgewood family estate built in 1891.

While the estate itself was demolished in 2005 (the Case Manor long-term care home is now in its place), a 400-foot stretch of the drystone wall along Boyd Street remains intact, although sections of the wall are deteriorating and in need of repair.

In 2020, a group of volunteers known as Action Environnementale Bobcaygeon succeeded in having the wall protected with a heritage designation and are now working on its restoration this summer for its 130th anniversary.

The group hired John Shaw Rimmington – a renowned dry stone wall builder and teacher who is also president of the Dry Stone Walling Across Canada organization – to work on the project and train volunteers.

Although Environmental Action Bobcaygeon has already received several grants and donations for the estimated project cost of $ 70,000, including $ 10,000 from the Bobcaygeon Horticultural Society, it is soliciting community donations to the Edgewood Stone Wall Fund at www.edgewoodstonewall.com .

“Now is the time for Bobcaygeon to come together again to help restore and protect the Edgewood Wall from further erosion and damage,” said Ann Adare, campaign manager. “You can donate to the project at four levels, each one representing one of the unique aspects of building dry stone walls. All donors will be recognized for their contributions over $ 25, regardless of level.

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Building a dry stone wall (also known as a dry wall) requires a high degree of skill as the builder has to put the stones together in such a way that they are held in place and the wall remains stable. Common in Britain, Scotland and Ireland, dry stone walls were typically built using field stone by farmers in rural areas to fencing livestock or to mark property lines.

The Edgewood Stone Wall is an example of a double pile wall, the most common type of dry stone wall. Flat stones are used to create two separate walls, with larger stones covering both walls to add strength and stability.

The voids between the two walls are filled with small stones called heart stone, with crown stones (also called crown stones) placed on top of the finished triangular shaped wall.

In 2018, UNESCO added the art of dry stone wall construction to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, stating in part that “Such structures bear witness to the methods and practices used by people. from prehistory to the present day to organize their living and working space. by optimizing local natural and human resources.

In the 19th century, it was common for wealthy families like the Boyds to build large estates with quaint landscaping reflecting a rustic aesthetic, including dry stone walls. WTC Boyd’s Edgewood Estate and his father’s adjacent estate featured dry stone walls as part of the landscaping.

The Edgewood Estate was designed by Peterborough architect John E. Belcher, a friend of the Boyd family, who may have also been involved in the landscaping. While it is not known who actually built the drystone wall, it is believed that the Boyd family brought in a stonemason from Scotland.

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It is also believed that some of the stone used for the wall came from the construction of the Trent Severn Canal and that the Boyd family paid local farmers $ 1 for each load of stone brought to the Edgewood site.

“With the help of our community, we can ensure that our important and beautiful structures endure and preserve our history for future generations,” said Richard Fedy, Co-Chair of Environmental Action Bobcaygeon.

Environmental Action Bobcaygeon works in partnership with the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes to facilitate community giving. The foundation provides financial management and team expertise to assist with fundraising efforts for the restoration project.

As some stones have been lost over the years, the restoration project will need additional stones to restore the wall.

The current owners of the Mossum Boyd property have donated some of the stone from the drystone walls around their property, which has largely deteriorated, so that the legacy of the Edgewood Wall can be preserved.

For more information on the Edgewood Stone Wall restoration project and to donate, visit www.edgewoodstonewall.com. To contact the Restoration Committee, email [email protected].

Author of the article:

Ian macalpine

Release date :

February 23, 2021 • February 26, 2021 • 4 minutes to read

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KINGSTON – A small team of stonemasons are dismantling a 16-meter section of a 40-meter-long dry limestone wall that is older than Canada on the property of the Pittsburgh branch of the Kingston Public Library Frontenac.

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The wall, just over a meter high, is moved to make room for the widening of Gore Road on the east side of the new bridge over the Cataraqui River.

The wall currently runs north to south, parallel to the river, and the 16-meter portion will eventually be rebuilt and facing east.

Several large mature trees were felled last fall to make way for the widening of the road.

John Scott, a consultant stonemason from Perth, is working on the project with Craig Beattie, owner of Edgewater Stonemasons in Kingston and apprentice stonemason Alex Cappon.

Scott has stated that the farm which forms part of the library was built in 1863, and he assumes that the wall was built soon after.

He said there was an orchard on the property and the wall was likely built to keep farm animals out.

A dry stone wall is made without mortar and remains united by leaning on itself. It also tapers, the bottom of the fence being wider than the top.

Scott said the wall was built the same way the walls were built in Ireland.

“Which makes sense because in 1860 many Irish and Scottish farmers emigrated to this area and have the capacity to build farm walls,” Scott said.

“Twenty years ago, the common thought was to just turn this around because it’s a bunch of rocks, but the city of Kingston is smart enough; they realize the heritage value.

“It’s a very unique wall. Many of them have been pushed back and they are no longer there.

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Scott said they are in communication with the city and are communicating with Kiewit, the bridge builder.

The cost of $ 40,000 for dismantling the wall is part of the $ 180 million budget for the bridge.

While the three-person team dismantles the 16-meter-long wall, they catalog and store the stone in sealed bags which will be stored on the library property.

One meter from each wall goes in a bag on a pallet and will be reassembled.

The crew is currently in the middle of the three-phase project. The research part is complete, teardown and registration is in progress and should take about eight more working days, and the third and final part will be reassembly.

“We’re learning as we go to find out how it was built, why it stays put and some of its flaws,” Scott said. “One of the rules of heritage is that it has to be rebuilt in kind using the same stone, but we’re going to make some improvements to the bond to make it stronger than it was.”

The link, Scott said, refers to the pattern of placement of the stones and not the mortar used to glue the stones together.

Scott said the artisans built a strong wall over 155 years ago.

“Absolutely, there are different branches of masonry, and building dry stone walls is kind of a lost craft,” he said.

The wall will be put back in place once the bridge and road widening are completed in late 2022 or early 2023.

The bid to carry out the work of reassembling the wall has not been decided, but since the stones are being saved and cataloged, any stonemasonry company would be able to reassemble it.

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Beattie said he admired the drystone wall for a long time.

“I was always aware that it was here, and when the city needed help with it, it seemed like it was something I was really interested in getting involved in,” he said. he declares.

“Everything is documented. There is a record. John reports on the conditions here and everything is organized, labeled and identified so that someone else can come in and understand what was going on here.

“The value of heritage assets like this is only realized once it is gone, and the City of Kingston realizes it,” said Scott.

According to a historical plaque outside the library, Hawthorn Cottage was built by the Hay brothers in 1866, and its first owners were John Canniff and Sarah (Baillie) Ruttan.

The homemade wall and surrounding land were purchased by the former Township of Pittsburgh prior to the 1998 amalgamation with the city. It was chosen in 1997 to be the site of the Pittsburgh branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library.

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The impressive stone structure, nicknamed ‘Angellstone, was built by craftsman John Bland using the ancient dry stone wall technique.

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A 32-ton stone wall dedicated to forest conservation was officially opened on Saturday in Angell Woods in Beaconsfield.

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The impressive seven foot tall structure, nicknamed “Angellstone”, was built by craftsman John Bland using the ancient dry stone wall technique.

The Angell Woods Protection Association commissioned the art installation to commemorate 20 years of citizen efforts to conserve the 100 hectares of forest north of Highway 20.

“No mortar or heavy machinery was used in the construction process. The stones for the wall were reused from the site itself, using the materials from the fieldstone walls that previously demarcated the perimeter of farmland, ”APAW said in a statement. “Not only does this project produce very little carbon emissions, but the nooks and crannies of the wall provide habitat for the small creatures living in the woods.”

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Bland, a stonemason from Baie-D’Urfé, said his goal was to create an ancient-looking structure that blended into the natural surroundings. It took him three months to build on his own, using a hammer, chisel and ax.

APAW, a nonprofit, voluntary organization, was formed to protect and “promoting the responsible use” of Angell Wood. “Its 100 hectares are ecologically important, as they constitute one of the last great green spaces on the island of Montreal and are home to endangered species and valuable wetlands, ”said APAW.

Due to the distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the groundbreaking ceremony was also webcast online using Zoom.

Francis Scarpaleggia, MP for Lac-St-Louis, said Bland’s drywall creation serves as a double symbol.

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“On the one hand, its structure, slowly accumulated from stones nearby, represents our ability to work patiently and in harmony with nature, ”he said. “Angellstone also captures the resilience and ingenuity of the community of individuals who have worked so long to protect the priceless natural space that is Angell Woods.

Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle has called Angell Woods “a natural treasure for Beaconsfield”.

“This milestone anniversary reminds us that protecting our unique urban forest is an important community project – now more than ever,” added the mayor.

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It took John Bland three months to build the 32-ton wall himself, with nothing more than a hammer, chisel, ax, and sheer muscle power.

Author of the article:

John Meagher • Montreal Gazette

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It is seven feet tall, weighs 32 tons, and took three months to build, one stone at a time.

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John Bland, builder of an impressive new stone wall in the middle of Beaconsfield’s Angell Woods, says his goal was to create an old-looking structure that would blend into the natural surroundings.

“I wanted it to be magical and mystical, like Game of Thrones,” said Bland, a stonemason from Baie-D’Urfé tasked with building the wall after winning an art competition organized by the Association for the Angell Wood Protection (APAW).

The nonprofit group was looking for an outdoor art installation to celebrate its 20th anniversary of conserving the 85 hectares of West Island woodlands once threatened by suburban development.

APAW member Jon Williams said the group received around a dozen entries for the contest and a committee selected Bland’s design made from local fieldstones.

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“Some (artists) wanted to put paintings in the woods, some wanted to hang things on trees, some wanted to bring ironwork and concrete. The great thing about John’s work is that he uses all the local materials. It’s all picked up in the woods, ”said Williams.

“No heavy machinery was brought in or anything like that. Everything is done by manual labor. There are no drills, they are scissors and axes.

The deciding factor was that Bland’s stone wall matched the group’s vision to conserve nature.

“There’s a sense of permanence, that’s what we want to convey for this area,” said Williams.

“We have been working for 20 years to preserve these woods. Some of the old growth forest here is absolutely stunning, with trees over 100 years old. There are hickory, maple and beech groves.

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The location of the wall also had to be taken into account in a forest of winding paths.

“It was better to put him in the woods and let people find him,” said Williams. “This is an important passage. When the sun is shining through the trees, it is a beautiful place.

It took Bland three months to build the wall on his own, with nothing more than a hammer, chisel, ax, and sheer muscle power.

“Probably half of that time was picking up rocks and dragging them. The other half were building it, ”he said.

There is no mortar to hold the stones together – just the weight of gravity and the carefully chiseled and adjusted rock. Protruding stones on either side of the wall serve as places to sit and rest under a canopy of trees.

The wall also has a portal in the middle. “It’s not about keeping things inside or keeping them outside,” said Bland, who attributes the concept to his wife Karina. “It’s also a bit old, from one world to another.”

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He said there is no big secret to the dry stone wall craft.

“There is no right or wrong way to do it. There is no building code. But the way I learned, I got an unofficial building code. I try to build things that are historically correct. These rules and guidelines are set by various dry stone wall associations across Europe and the UK. This is where all the traditional walls are.

Bland studied Heritage Masonry at Algonquin College in Ontario. “Once I obtained my diploma, I did not embark on masonry restoration, I turned directly to the construction of dry stone walls.

His first project was to build a stone arch at his parents’ home in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, across from John Abbott College. Now he is busy making artistic stone all over Montreal.

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Bland loves the fact that he leaves no carbon footprint in the woods other than his own breath. “The stone is natural – I just tidy it up,” he said.

The hope is that the forest’s natural moss will eventually claim part of the wall, which has quickly become a popular spot with passing dogs raising one leg.

The wall has yet to be named, but Williams said some are already calling it Angell Wall.

“In some ways it looks like a few abandoned angel wings lying on the ground,” he said.

“Looks like he’s always been there.”

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1. Art installation to honor Angell Woods to mark a milestone anniversary

2. Beaconsfield pledges to fight climate change on the global stage

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BOTHELL – It’s more than just a stone wall 220 feet long.

It’s 75 tons of romance and charm.

The wall runs along a narrow rural road that ends where horses roam and cars return.

In 2001, two Scottish artisans traveled 4,500 miles to Washington to build the rock face of the former owners of the Strume Road House.

This led to a big run in The Herald at the time. After all, most people in Snohomish County don’t hire Scots to build rock walls by hand.

No wood. No mortar.

Just stones. And unwavering Scottish know-how.

The rock face was not the main draw for house hunters Tim Robinson and his wife, Julie Ross-Robinson, who last summer bought their dream home on half an acre with a pond for its dragonflies and a dependence on its drums.

“I thought it was cool,” Ross-Robinson said of the wall. “We had no idea it was so special.”

Another bonus was the stone figurine, which the couple dress in a red Scottish outfit, except during Seahawks season.

The wall was in poor condition from car damage over the years. And – wouldn’t you know – in a kitchen drawer in a manila envelope was the 2001 Herald clipping of the builders from Scotland.

The couple Googled the names of the artisans. To their surprise, Nick Aitken was close.

“He said, ‘I’m in Seattle, I just married my girlfriend who I met while working on the wall,” ”Ross-Robinson said.

Nick met Nicky in 2001 while working on the wall. She was going to the horse farm.

“She stopped and said, ‘What are you doing?'” Aitken said.

The question turned into a long conversation.

The courtship that followed lasted “17 years, round trip,” he said.

For years, they made it a world holiday. “Prague. China. Prague. Prague. Scotland. East Coast. Western coast.”

He and Nicky got married in 2017.

It has taken several visits over the past few months to Aitken to repair the Strume Road wall to its standards. The last touches to bring it up to date were applied last week.

The repair involved demolishing segments and rebuilding.

“I go all the way, to the worms,” ​​Aitken said. “Worms are a sign of the times. They don’t like the cold and they don’t like the dry; the things you notice. Your whole head is rewired in thinking stone.

The dry stone structure is a construction method characterized by the presence of a load-bearing facade of carefully selected interlocking stones.

“It has been in use for thousands of years,” Aitken said.

“It’s a common way of making field walls. They are everywhere there. It is part of sheep farming. I grew up on a sheep farm in the Highlands of Scotland. I have been exposed to stone walls all my life.

The former owners of the Strume Road house were on a trip to Scotland when they saw Aitken’s demonstration of what Scots call ‘dry dyke’ at a gaming event. They recruited Aitken and his fellow master craftsman Neil Rippingale to build the wall.

As a rule, Aitken works alone in the labor intensive trade.

“We tend to be purposeful, opinionated people who go it this way because we’re the only ones on the site,” he said.

According to the story, the rock was trucked from a quarry to Granite Falls. Aitken and Rippingale arrived in Seattle on February 15, 2001, with about 6 inches of snow. It didn’t stop them. The 6.8 Nisqually earthquake also did no damage as they were nearly complete two weeks later.

Over the years, the main threat to the wall is that people are backing up cars on it. Looks like the stone walls are objects in the mirror that are closer than they appear.

The 3-foot-high wall is approximately 28 inches wide at the bottom and 14-16 inches at the top.

“The wall is cut off, which is part of its strength, and if done right, that is part of its charm,” Aitken said. “It is a question of placing the stone well so that they bind together. It’s all about friction and balance.

The tools of the trades are a brick hammer with a metal handle, a shovel and a string.

“And a lot of persistence,” Aitken said.

“It’s better for your core than any yoga.”

Other parts of the body also benefit.

“It’s like women doing embroidery; they have that thumb bent. Your hands change to adapt to work.

It is convenient for picking up pebbles.

Aitken recently returned from Dry Stone Conservancy, a nonprofit organization in Lexington, Kentucky, dedicated to the preservation and promotion of ancient crafts. Rippingale runs workshops there.

Aitken writes a book on the stone walls.

Anyone who wants a wall will have to pitch.

“I am retired,” Aitken said, “but ready to take whatever is interesting.”

Andrea Brown: [email protected]; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.

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