November Monthly Talk 2016

Saddleworth’s Dry Stone Walls

Dry stone walls are a feature of the Saddleworth landscape but most of us know little about them.  Chris Bolshaw and his wife, Gill, gave us a very informative and interesting talk on many aspects of the walls from a historical and locality aspect.

 In Great Britain there are 1250 miles of dry stone walling, much of it dating from the times of the Enclosure Acts, between 1750 and 1850, but still giving the farmers the means to organise their land and shelter their animals, whilst also providing a major habitat for wildlife.

 Our local walls are constructed with grit stone and there are many signs of old quarries in the area.  They are built in a traditional way with carefully placed cross stones for strength and an infill of small stones for stability. It is a craft that takes years to learn but introductory courses are available locally.

Above And Beyond Award Winner

Celia Gledsdale becomes the first to be awarded the “Above and Beyond Award” in Lydgate. Read the full story on the Stitchers Page.