06-11-2003, 08:43 PM
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Glass mulch
The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article ,
martin wrote:
On Sun, 2 Nov 2003 15:14:58 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:
You'll be asking URGlers the size of their salary before long :~)
I wouldn't dare.
BTW how much .... ? :-)
Mine is a matter of public record.
Mine's nowhere near a record....
Getting back on topic - a little - I'm planning on removing the
chimneybreast in the kitchen so I can fill the gap with a Rayburn.
The chimneybreast is made of clay-lump blocks. For those who are not
conversant with East-Angular mud huts, an area of topsoil was removed
from nearby heavy ground and water thrown over it.
A heavy horse would be walked round and round on it until the clay had
been pugged up into a sloshy consistency, more water being added when
necessary.
When the clay was of the correct consistency fresh cow dung and chopped
straw would be added to the clay, and the horse set a-pugging again.
When thoroughly mixed the stuff was shovelled and tamped into long
wooden moulds with dividing squares of wood, and the blocks left to
harden sufficiently to be tipped out and stacked under cover to dry out
some more. Then the process would begin again, continuing until the
house was completed. It would then be rendered and coated with some sort
of pitch. Later houses had a brick shell, either added at a later date
than the original construction, or as in my cottage (C 1830) built at
the same time. Mine's also on a flint base.
Where was I?
Oh yes. The chimneybreast is more-or-less-solid clay with bits of straw
in it: the cowdung rots away very quickly, leaving very strong and
thermally efficient walls. (When cowdung dries, it expands, unlike clay,
which shrinks. The blocks stay pretty well the same size as they dry.)
So, I shall be having a big pile of clay to use for something or other.
It's a tad light (pale yellow ochre) to use as a mulch. I have some
ideas (I'm too mean to hire a skip!) but any other (polite) suggestions
would be welcomed.
--
Rusty Hinge
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