Consumption wall
A consumption wall is a very wide wall, which appears as a double-sided structure in-filled with smaller stones. Consumption walls serve a double purpose of absorbing excess stone from the surrounding land, clearing it, while also enclosing it. An example can be seen in the Duddon Valley, Cumbria at Low Hall.[1]
Consumption walls are thought to date from the medieval period, and are generally made up from glacial deposits left strewn in the area.[1]
Another example can be found near Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales which measures about six feet wide, indicating that they are spread throughout British agricultural regions.[2]
References
- ^ a b Ring Cairns and Reservoirs: Archaeological Discoveries in the Duddon Valley, Cumbria, Stramongate Press Ltd: Kendal, (2009), pp. 44–46.
- ^ Garner, Lawrence (2005). Dry Stone Walls. Osprey Publishing. p. 22.