The ha-ha fence
In the previous post to this I asked Sherrif Shades to explain what a ha-ha fence is, as it was he who first used the term to describe the wooden fence that used to border the school to the north and east...Here is a more detailed explanation to go with the diagram above diagram:
'The Ha-ha is an expression in garden design that refers to a trench, the one side of which is vertical and faced with stone, the other face sloped and turfed, making the trench, in effect, a sunken fence or retaining wall. The ha-ha is designed not to interrupt the view from a garden, pleasure-ground, or park, while maintaining a physical barrier at least in one direction.'
As I just said, the Kenton Bar School one was wooden not stone...the purpose of it as a barrier in this case was obvious:(to stop the kids from escaping and keep dogs out)
As for the view?...from Hartburn Walk bungalows adjoining the school the lovely spacious Kenton Comprehensive School fields and plateau were visible due to this fence...fields which to me at that time seemed to stretch for miles and miles...I must have a look and see if the fence is still a ha-ha...I am sure the old one has been replaced as it was not secure even when I lived on Kenton Bar...incidently master, didst thou not once post a comment with regard a huge snowball being made and pushed down onto the fence, smashing it or crushing some poor fool?...please re comment here.
Thank thou Shades for putting me on the trail...
Yes indeed the ha-ha fence and ditch have long gone...there now stand a metal fence with gaps so you can see through it which was not the case with the wooden ha-ha fence...the ditch has been filled in...makes me wonder why they didnt use metal for all the fences on the estate in the first place...metal had been invented then! anyone care to suggest why not?...
ReplyDelete...because Ryder & Yates didn't want it to look like a Stalag Luft Camp?
ReplyDeleteISTR the fence back of Ryal Walk was made of steel picket style.
Hmmm... not sure Shades...reckon it was more of a 'lack of technology' issue...the fence I saw today was not aesthetically unpleasing...
ReplyDeleteRe the Ryal walk fence:really?...there in lie-eth a mystery which must, and will be solved..why so only that bit of fence, on the whole of the estate, metal?...
I can vaguely remember the school fields getting a new fence in the early 70s, subtly spiked on the top. A few handy missing uprights though so you could still get in.
ReplyDeleteI think bits of it are still in-situ, see HERE and HERE.
The fence at the primaryschool looked very high and menacing compared to the 6" showing above the Ha-Ha ditch in the old days.
I can vaguely remember the school fields getting a new fence in the early 70s, subtly spiked on the top. A few handy missing uprights though so you could still get in.
ReplyDeleteI think bits of it are still in-situ, see HERE and HERE.
The fence at the primaryschool looked very high and menacing compared to the 6" showing above the Ha-Ha ditch in the old days.
Yes we "The Kids" rolled a massive snowball and pushed it down the ditch. It knocked over the fence. Once the snow melted the broken fence was 'played' with and a kid got his leg trapped underneath - broken of course......
ReplyDelete