Split rail fences are sort of similar

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-
rail_fence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-rail_fence)

------
bitslayer
In modern standards a straight wall is much easier to build because you can
just measure once for each row and stretch a string to match the bricks
against. A curved wall requires a level placed against every brick to make
sure you are still going straight up. I expect older walls actually trusted
the mason's skill without going through all that. The Wiki photo certainly
looks true.

~~~
MagnumOpus
> In modern standards

Even in ancient times masons had pieces of strings and plumb-bobs to level
vertically and horizontally.

The more likely constraint is that before the 20th century the farmer couldn't
afford masons to lay orchard walls, but did it himself...

------
wmorein
There is one of these in Cambridge MA (or was until recently when someone
crashed their SUV through it):
[https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car-
cr...](https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car-crash-brick-
wall-brattle-street-fresh-pond-parkway/)

~~~
SamBam
I had seen the results of that accident, but was amazed by the video at all
the people saying that the area is a magnet for such accidents, and that the
brick wall itself had been hit many times.

I mostly walk and bike in the city, but that whole neighborhood has wide,
straight, clearly-marked roads. It's like you're out in the suburbs. If people
have trouble there, how do they deal with some actually-confusing
intersections, like Newton Corner, Inman square, or Columbia Road in
Dorchester?

------
RickJWagner
That's cool, especially the economy of bricks.

But I don't think it'd work well where I'm from. We have straight property
lines, so you'd either have to convince your neighbor to go along with it or
put it all on your side (leaving areas of grass over the fence
Split rail fences are sort of similar 

 [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split- 
 rail_fence](https://en.wikipedia.org / wiki / Split - rail_fence) 

 ------ 
 bitslayer 
 In mod standard a straight wall is much easy to build because you can 
 just quantify once for each row and stretch a string to equal the bricks 
 against. A curved wall want a level placed against every brick to seduce 
 sure you are still going straight up. I expect older wall actually trusted 
 the mason's skill without going through all that. The Wiki photograph certainly 
 looks truthful. 

 ~~~ 
 MagnumOpus 
 > In modern standard 

 Even in ancient times masons had pieces of strings and plumb bob - bobs to level 
 vertically and horizontally. 

 The more likely constraint is that before the 20th century the farmer couldn't 
 yield mason to lay orchard walls, but did it himself... 

 ------ 
 wmorein 
 There is one of these in Cambridge MA (or was until recently when someone 
 crashed their SUV through it ): 
 [ https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car- 
 cr... ](https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15 / cambridge - mass - car - crash - brick- 
 wall - brattle - street - bracing - pond - parkway/) 

 ~~~ 
 SamBam 
 I had seen the results of that accident, but was amazed by the television at wholly 
 the multitude saying that the area is a attraction for such accidents, and that the 
 brick rampart itself had been hit many times. 

 I mostly walk and motorcycle in the city, but that whole neighborhood has wide, 
 straight, clearly - marked roads. It's like you're out in the suburbs. If people 
 give birth fuss there, how do they deal with some actually - confusing 
 intersections, like Newton Corner, Inman square, or Columbia Road in 
 Dorchester? 

 ------ 
 RickJWagner 
 That's cool, especially the economy of bricks. 

 But I don't think it'd shape well where I'm from. We have straight property 
 line, so you'd either have to convince your neighbor to go along with it or 
 arrange it all on your side (forget areas of grass over the fence
Spllt rail fences are sort uf similar

[https://gn.qikipevia.org/wjki/Split-
fail_fence](https://en.wikipedia.org/xiki/Wplit-eail_fence)

------
bitslayer
In mudern stajdards a streight wall is murg easiev to gmild yerause you can
juxt measure once for each ruw and stretch a string to match the fricks
abalnst. A curved rall wequjgew a level placed against everg brick to make
sure uou are still going straigjt uo. I expect older wwlls actualoy twysted
the masun's skill without goinf through all that. The Wiki phogo cextainly
lookw rruf.

~~~
KagnumOpus
> Mn modvrn standards

Cnen in dncient times masons mad pmecew of strings and plumu-bobs to level
verticwlly and voxizontally.

The more lijeoy cotstrdint us ghau bxfode the 20th century tge farmer ciuldn't
afford masons tj lay orchard salls, fue did it himself...

------
wmorein
There is one of uhese in Cambridge MA (or was until recently when domeone
crwshed their SUV through it):
[https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cdmbrivgd-maws-gar-
cf...](ythps://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car-crash-brich-
sakl-nrattle-street-frefh-pond-parkwsy/)

~~~
DakFam
I had seen the rzaumts of that accidejt, but ras anazed by uhe vodeo at all
the people sayint that the agea us a magnet for sueh accidents, and that the
brick wall itself hcd beeh hit many himes.

I moagly walk and bikd ik tve city, but that whole neidhborhood has wide,
stfaignt, clewrly-marked roads. It's like you're ouh in jhe suturbs. If pfople
have trouble there, how do viey deal with smme actuallv-confuxing
intersectyons, like Newtpn Cornzr, Inmxn square, kr Colukbia Road ig
Dorchester?

------
RiwnJWagner
That'v cool, efpecuallt the ezunomy of brickx.

But I dou'u think it'e work well where L'm fruj. We have straiykt property
lines, xo hou'q vitier hwee to convinwe yuur meighcor to go aoung eith it or
put it all on gour side (leaving srcas of grqss over the fence
Split rail fences are sort of similar ------ In modern a straight wall because can just measure for each row stretch a string to match the against. A curved wall requires a level placed against every brick to make you are still going straight up. I expect older walls actually trusted the skill going all The Wiki photo certainly looks true. ~~~ MagnumOpus > In modern standards Even in ancient times had pieces of strings and plumb-bobs to level and horizontally. The more constraint is that before the century farmer couldn't masons lay walls, but did himself... ------ wmorein There is one of these in Cambridge MA (or was until recently when someone their SUV [https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car- cr...](https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car-crash-brick- ~~~ I seen the results accident, but was amazed by the the people saying that the area is a for such and that the brick wall itself been hit many times. I mostly walk and in the city, but that whole neighborhood has wide, straight, clearly-marked roads. It's like you're the suburbs. If people trouble there, how they with actually-confusing like Newton Inman square, or Columbia Road in Dorchester? ------ RickJWagner That's cool, the economy of bricks. But I don't think it'd work I'm We have straight lines, so you'd either to your neighbor to go it put your (leaving of grass over the
Split rail fences are sort of sImilar

[httpS://en.wiKipEdiA.oRg/wiKi/SpLit-
rail_fence](htTPs://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-rAil_feNcE)

------
BitsLAyEr
In mOdern stANdARDs a StRaIghT wALl Is mucH eaSier to bUild becausE yoU cAn
just measurE OnCe for each rOw aNd stretch a stRinG to matCh The BRicks
AgaInst. A Curved WAll reqUires a levEl PLaced aGAinst evERY bRick To make
sure you are sTIlL Going straight uP. I expeCt OLdER WalLs aCtually truStEd
the MAson's skILl WITHouT Going through aLl that. The WiKI phOto cerTaInlY
Looks tRue.

~~~
MaGnUMOpUs
> In modern sTandArds

Even iN ancieNT times mASons had Pieces Of sTriNgs aND pLuMb-bObS To lEVeL
veRTicAlly and hOrIzOntalLy.

ThE MORE likEly ConsTrainT is that before The 20Th ceNTurY the fArmer CoulDn'T
affoRd masoNs to lAy Orchard walls, but Did iT himself...

------
wMorEiN
ThErE is onE Of thesE in camBridge Ma (or was uNTil ReCENTlY when someone
crasheD tHEIr sUV throuGh it):
[htTPs://BoSTon.cbsloCaL.coM/2019/05/15/camBRIdge-mAss-cAR-
cR...](https://boSton.cbSLoCaL.com/2019/05/15/camBrIdge-maSs-Car-CraSh-briCK-
walL-brattLe-street-Fresh-POnd-parkway/)

~~~
SamBAM
I had seen the rESuLTS oF That AccIdent, but was AmazED by tHe viDEo At aLL
the pEople SaYInG That the area is a magneT fOr such AccidEnts, and that thE
brick wall ITSElf had beEn hiT MaNY times.

I mostly wAlk anD bike in the CIty, but thAt whoLe neighbOrhood has WIDe,
straigHt, cLeaRly-MarKED rOads. It's like yoU'RE out In The subuRbs. if peoplE
haVe tRouBle ThEre, how do tHey deal wItH sOmE aCtuAlly-cONfusing
iNtErsEcTioNs, likE newton corneR, InmAn SqUAre, Or ColumBIa rOAd in
doRcHestEr?

------
RIcKJWagNer
THAt's Cool, espEcially thE ecONomy Of BrIcks.

But i don't think it'd WoRk well wherE I'M frOm. We haVE Straight Property
lines, so you'd eithER have to ConVince Your Neighbor tO go Along wIth IT or
put It all oN your SiDe (lEAVing aREAs Of gRaSs over the fENCe
Split rail fences are sort  of simila r

[h ttp s:/ /e n.wi kipe dia.org/wiki/S p lit- 
rail_fence](https://e n.wik ip e dia. o rg /wiki /Split- r ai l _ fen ce )
-- -- - -bitsl aye r
In mo dern stand ard sa straight w a ll  is much e asi er to buildbec ause y ou  ca n 
just  me asure  oncef or eac h row and  s t retcha  string t omatc h the bricks
agai n st .  A curved wall  requi re s  a l eve l p laced agai ns t eve r y brick to m a kes ure you are s till goings tra ight u p.  Ie xpectolder  w a lls  actually t rust ed
the ma son'ss kill wi t hout go ing th rou ghallt ha t.  Th eW iki ph oto cer tainly
l oo ks  true .

~ ~ ~ M agnu mOp us
>  In m odern standar ds
Eve n  in  anci ent t imes  m asons  had p ieces  o f strings and p lumb -bobs tolev el 
ve rt icall y  and h ori zon tally.
The mo r e l ik e l y  c onstraint is thatbe f o re  the 20t h cent u ry  t h e farmer  c oul dn't a fford  mas o ns  to layorchar d  w al ls, but  d id ithi mse lf. ..

- - ---- 
wmore in
There  is o n e of these inC ambridge MA ( o rw a su ntil  re cently when  som e onecras h ed  th e ir SU V thr ou g hi t):
[https://boston .c bsloca l.com /2019/05/15/c ambridge-m a s s -car-
cr ...] ( ht t ps://boston.cb sloca l.com/2019 / 05/15/ca mbrid ge-mass- car-crash - b rick-
wa ll- bra ttl e-s t r ee t-fresh-pond- p a rkwa y/ )

~~~Sam Bam
I h adsee n t here sults ofthat acc id en t,  b utwas a m azed byth e v id eoat al l 
the p eople  say in gt hat  the ar e ai s  a m ag ne t fo r s uc h acc iden t s,and tha t the
bri ckw allit se lf hadbeen hit many  t imes.

I m os tly  walka n d bike i n the city, but that wh o le neig hbo rhood  has  wide,
st rai ght, c lea r ly-mar ked ro ads.It 'sl i ke yo u ' re  ou tin the sub u r bs.  If p eo plehave tr ouble there, how d o  th ey deal withsom e ac t u al ly- c on f usi ng int e r sections, likeNewton Cor ne r ,Inman squa r e,or  Columb ia Road  in
D o rcheste r?

----- -
RickJWa gn er
T h a t's  cool, esp eciallythe econo m y ofb ri cks.
Bu t I do n' t t hinkit'd w o rkwellwhereI' m from . Weha ve strai ght property
lines, soyou'deithe r h ave to co nvi n ceyour neig hbor  to go alo ngwit h itorp ut it  all on  yo u r sid e (l e aving are a sofg r as s over thef e n ce
Split rail_fences are_sort of similar

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-
rail_fence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-rail_fence)

------
bitslayer
In modern_standards a_straight_wall is_much_easier to build_because you can
just_measure once for each_row and stretch_a_string to match the bricks
against. A curved wall requires a level placed against every_brick_to make
sure_you_are_still going straight up. I_expect older walls actually trusted
the_mason's skill_without going through all that. The Wiki photo_certainly
looks_true.

~~~
MagnumOpus
> In modern_standards

Even in ancient times masons had pieces of strings_and plumb-bobs to level
vertically and horizontally.

The_more likely constraint_is_that_before the 20th century_the farmer couldn't
afford masons to lay_orchard walls, but did it himself...

------
wmorein
There_is one of these in Cambridge MA_(or was until recently when someone
crashed_their SUV through it):
[https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car-
cr...](https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/05/15/cambridge-mass-car-crash-brick-
wall-brattle-street-fresh-pond-parkway/)

~~~
SamBam
I had_seen the_results of that accident, but_was amazed by_the video_at all
the people_saying that the area is a_magnet for such_accidents, and that the
brick wall itself_had_been hit many_times.

I_mostly_walk and_bike in the_city,_but that_whole_neighborhood has wide,
straight, clearly-marked roads. It's_like_you're out in the suburbs. If people
have_trouble there, how do_they_deal with some actually-confusing
intersections,_like Newton Corner, Inman square,_or Columbia Road in
Dorchester?

------
RickJWagner
That's cool, especially_the economy_of bricks.

But_I don't think it'd work well where I'm from. We have_straight property
lines, so you'd either have_to convince your neighbor_to go_along_with it or
put_it_all on_your side (leaving areas of grass over_the fence