Thursday 30 September 2010

Door in the Wall

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Some people like doors and some people like brick walls. I like both! The walls are things I often bang my head against, usually meafo.. mentaph .metaphorl.. in my head, and sometimes in reality. The doors I tend to walk through, opening them first for the most part naturally. I am not sure if this door has been opened in a long time, I am standing in the church graveyard as I take the picture, and to walk through the door you may need permission from the various bodies concerned. Behind the wall lies a farm, although whether the wall belongs to the farm or the churchyard, the church is made of similar brick, I cannot say and I suspect you really don't care one way or the other. I suspect the farm belongs to the 'Big Hoose' that lies, surrounded by fir trees rather like a tall green wall, just down the road behind the farm. The Lord of the Manor in England liked to have his own church near by, even if there was a Parish Church available. Maybe the original house was through there and this was the main man's personal door to the service, who knows, and I again suspect you are beginning not to care! 


The amount of red bricks made in the south of England over the years, and particularly in the nineteenth century, must be enormous! Houses, churches, farms and industrial buildings, rail bridges and walls around the many manor houses and landed gentry's properties gave much work to bricklayers in times past. I suspect this is a nineteenth century wall, possibly built when the church was renovated in 1840. Such artisans would meet at weeks end in a designated public house and an offering of sixpence was collected into a fund. From this payment would be made when one of the men met with sickness, accident or distress. This is why there are so many pubs called 'The Bricklayers Arms.' I cannot remember what is the point of the big 'S' metal spar in the wall. I read about these once long ago and promptly forgot what I had read. I do this often. I cannot remember what is the point of the big 'S' metal spar in the wall. I read about these once long ago and promptly forgot what I had read. I do this often.

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5 comments:

soubriquet said...

Word verification is tolkidat. I've no idea what tolkidat might be, maybe a tax on travellers charged by russian criminals in the eighteenth century....


The big iron S-shaped thing is a wall tie. At some time, that wall must have started to bulge or lean. The village blacksmith would make up the tie plate, and a big piece of threaded bar would be stuck through the wall and anchored solidly at the other end. When it was tightened up, it would pull the bulge back into place and resist future movement. S-shaped just gives it good area coverage.
I once undid one, and the wall fell down. Mind you, the bulldozer on the other side might have helped.

Unknown said...

I would also be fascinated by such a sight, which worries me greatly. For I do not like the idea of being like you in any way, shape or form. Come to think of it, maybe it is that you are like me, which makes it okay? Yeah, I think I will go with that.

red dirt girl said...

I like your door in the wall. I think Soubry's wrong. It looks like that door is holding up the wall, not the wall-tie. xxx

Dina said...

Love this picture and love the way you write. :)
Glad to learn the word wall tie.
I was calling them wall anchors in a big post about examples in Jerusalem:
http://jerusalemhillsdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/wall-anchors-of-jerusalem.html

Yes, there are big changes in Jerusalem happening. When were you here last?

Adullamite said...

S, I thought that must be the idea, but it appeared somewhat thin. If you look closely you can see the wall has been repaired at that point.

Fishy, You are like me, but not so good looking.

RDG, I admire your taste!


Dina, it is 20 years since I was there! Great changes in some ways. Time moves on!