Flagstone walls aka flag fencing are a common sight in Rossendale and Rochdale and virtually unique to the area but how were they built?

We talked to Arthur Baldwin a retired member of Rossendale Groundwork Trust who commented as follows:

‘…we did a demonstration repair at Waterfoot behind Groundwork’s Environment Centre. We found pieces and blocks of wood under the flags and it helped in any adjustments sideways. Otherwise the square corners of the flag bit into the soil.

In our project interviews -the best verbal description we had was to dig a narrow a trench as possible, (as close to the thickness of the flag) 8 inches to a foot deep.  Lever the flags into the narrow slot, then they must be set dead vertically with a spirit level, so they settle naturally with gravity. Any later disruption out of the vertical results in progressive leaning. So the metal clamps are often used in attempts to prevent this.’

This applies to most walls we suppose but the ones at Spring Hill, Stacksteads are enormous as can be seen from this photograph.  How on earth did they position these?

RG 8.1.2022