Old stone walls are sometimes referred to as stone fences, a common sight in New England. They can be found:
- along roadways and hiking trails
- marking property and field boundaries
- surrounding cemeteries
They run through the deep woods and up into the mountains - a silent testimony to the untold hours of sweat and hard labor spent in getting the land to yield sustenance.
Up comes a fresh batch of rocks...
As land was cleared, rocks and boulders had to be moved to create fields for crops and grazing animals. Each spring a new "crop" of rocks was thrust to the surface by the winter's frost. Either moved by hand or with the aid of draft horses or teams of oxen, stones were moved no further than necessary.
The accumulation of rocks was piled along fence lines separating fields and defining property boundaries. Often these walls or fences were no more than elongated piles of rocks. After the farms became more prosperous, the piles were rebuilt into the more aesthetically pleasing walls that can be seen today.
Condos for Wildlife
The walls were fashioned without mortar and relied on the shape of the rocks to create stability. Over the years, some walls were dismantled and the stones were used for other projects. The untouched walls settled and tumbled down, becoming encrusted with moss and lichens. They are a habitat for many types of wildlife--small creatures take refuge in the crevices, spaces, and tunnels. Mice, squirrels, chipmunks, and weasels are residents, as you may notice and their tracks will be in evidence. The walls may serve as a system of trails by larger animals or foxes may deposit scat on or around the walls to alert others. As temperatures climb, spiders, worms, and insects use the stonewalls for shelter while tree frogs and snakes take refuge as well--hibernating beneath during the winter months.
A Silent Legacy
Today stone walls or fences have become a cultural icon. Many contemporary landscape designs incorporate this feature, though they can lack the aesthetic charm of the traditional walls. The farmers who built them have passed on, yet what a legacy and marker the walls make for us and future generations, and in many cases they still serve as boundaries and evidence of past times.
Do you have any stone walls on your property? Do you think stone walls make an effective fence?
Take a walk or hike in the New England countryside and stone walls will no doubt be a part of your experience.
