Mattapoisett Lands Trust teaches stone wall building
Nov 14, 2021
Peter Davies shows attendees a wall he built on the property over the course of about a year. Photos by: Morgan Beard
Volunteers “liberate” stones to use to make a path wall
Davies shows how wooden blocks can be used to elevate a stone to get it into position
Volunteers wheel rocks out to be used in the path wall
The wall Davies built at the Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Preserve on the foundation of Holmes’ former barn
The Holmes barn whose foundation was used for Davies’ stone wall
MATTAPOISETT — Stone walls for all!
The Mattapoisett Land Trust hosted a stone wall building workshop on Sunday morning, Nov. 14.
About twenty people turned out for the lesson and to try their hand at fitting stones together to make a neat and stable structure.
Land Trust Clerk Peter Davies led the workshop, walking attendees through the process of selecting stones, lifting them into place and filling gaps with smaller stones.
Davies said he has been building stone walls as a hobby for about 35 years, though he’s never done it professionally.
“To me it’s akin to a sort of a puzzle where there’s no right solution,” he said. “The more you do it the more confidence you have when you see a stone that it will fit.”
Davies said he likes to build the walls with just his hands and a few simple tools, such as a pry bar to move stones and wooden blocks to help elevate them.
“I was a serious rock climber when I was younger and I always thought there was a connection,” he said.
When Davies finished explaining the process, the group of volunteers went to work “liberating” stones that were embedded in the trailhead and arranging them into a low wall that will lead visitors from the parking lot to the Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Preserve entrance.
“Great Tom Sawyer-ing,” remarked one attendee lightheartedly.
“We’ll do anything to get volunteers,” responded another Lands Trust member.
