Monday 20 April 2020

Bits-n-bobs.



As an ex-stone cutter myself (mostly of domestic openings), I am always attracted to similar work that was done by the generations before me; especially bits and pieces around the immediate area where I live.

This small opening above is curious. I imagine it started life as a bigger lump of stone with a complete hole, and at some time it broke. Some inventive stone cutter then came along and cut an amusing small lintel for it, and it's useful life was extended. Personally I would have completed the circle in the new lintel, but I do find his solution quite fun.


This one is in a side wall at my baker's. A very decorative small opening with (like the one above) a square modern window set in behind it. I can't help thinking that it was a shame that a larger piece of plain glass wasn't set into the interior wall to take better advantage of the light.

The two small openings are opposite each other in a tiny side street.

I wonder what people in centuries to come will be saying about stuff that I cut?

20 comments:

  1. What does a stone cutter actually do? Please don't say "cut stone". What is the actual craft? What materials (stone) do they work with? How much is grind and how much is, nowadays, done by machines?

    Having seen your hands I am surprised you undertook what I imagine (possibly showing my ignorance) a rather tough job, rough on the hands and, presumably, physically pretty demanding.

    And when (and why) did you stop?

    U

    PS There are more questions/curiosity where the above come from - there always are

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    1. When I was stone cutting we had almost no machines; everything was done by hand. We had huge Tungsten tipped saws for reducing the blocks of raw quarried stone to size, but otherwise it was all hammer and chisel. We made window openings, huge fireplaces, doorways, arches, etc; mostly in medieval style. It was very hard work, especially installing finished work. I now have a bad back!

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  2. Lovely old walls - nothing like that here.

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    Replies
    1. These date from 1270, when my local town was established.

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  3. And unlike much of our world, they will still be there for centuries to come. They look like holes where you delivered newspaper would be poked in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Originally they would simply have been open holes in the wall. There was a very small one in our house in front of the stone sink, for the poor housewife to be able to see what she was doing. I later changed it for a slightly bigger one.

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  4. Those are very curious openings. Very small indeed, hardly enough to see in, or out. I like that light coloured stone.

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    Replies
    1. Life was hard! Those poor housewives had to cook, wash, clean, etc, with very little light, and no 'products'.

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  5. Our house in Somerset dated from about 500 years ago and was at some time, a cider house for the abbey. We had a number of small window openings about which we have wondered as to use. We have been stone cutters (lapidaries) since 1965 and still cut and polish, our equipment is mainly small, using silicon carbide and diamond, The stones are smaller but still heavy.
    Kathy

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    Replies
    1. I think most of these stones were simply for light and fresh air. Windows as such were a luxury.

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  6. They'll be saying, "Oh I do declare Hamish, isn't that piece by Sir Cromwell Magnon? Such artistry! Such skill! Now I swear I shall die happy!"

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    Replies
    1. You're obviously a clairvoyant; that is, of course, exactly what they'll say.

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  7. I miss the fascinating and beautiful architecture of medieval France.














    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are little surprises around every corner.

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  8. It must have been a hard choice in the days when these were created between letting in too much cold air and not letting in enough light. Are the two windows close enough that people would have been able to call conversations across the path between the buildings without leaving their houses?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, funnily enough they are. I wonder if that is what they were used for? An interesting idea.

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  9. They certainly knew how to build things to last long ago.

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    Replies
    1. The original 1270 ground plan, and many of the buildings, are still here to be seen. The main square with its covered market is still being used today.

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  10. Pigeons like these sorts places. In Venice I noticed they’ve had to put little wire spikes inside them.

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    Replies
    1. The Pigeon holes are usually much higher, and the birds themselves encouraged; they eat them.

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