Golvan Hedging & Landscaping specialise in traditional Cornish Hedging but are also skilled in all types of stonework including external stonework to buildings and careful renovation of older walls. We work across the whole of Cornwall and can quote for any job.
Completed stonework to internal apex, near Wadebridge 2021. This is yet to be pointed but shows how careful placing of stone can create a beautiful enduring feature.
This is an example of work in progress to a new-build home in the Wadebridge area. The client had chosen a traditional stonework exterior. This is prior to pointing.This is the completed, but as yet unpointed window opening, with careful attention to creating an appearance of random yet skillfully placed stone.Internal Stonework – work in progress at Wadebridge 2020 – this property has extensive stonework throughout.A further example of skillful work in progress to an apex with interior stonework for client near Wadebridge 2021We all know that building is a messy business(!) but we wanted to show a stonework gatepost in progress AND, in the background, a pointed stonework exterior. True craftsmanship of working with traditional stone can be seen here.
The next series of photos are examples of what can be done with old and poorly walls. This wall had been hidden behind an old shed and the owners were re-siting a replacement. The wall was in bad shape but you can just see the newer section we rebuilt earlier in the year to the left of the picture.
This shows how degraded this wall had become. The client had decided on commissioning the job with new stone as the old stone was of too poor quality to guarantee a good result. The client was also keen to retain the Day Lillies on the top of the old wall.
Here we can see the previously rebuilt section melding with the new section. You will also notice the finishing of the top section with pitchers (split stone placed upright in this case).
This is the rebuilt wall almost finished with just the shillet and spoil to remove. The junction of the previously rebuilt section and the new section is clearly visible but, over time this ‘join’ will age and become indistinguishable as the stone ages and weathers.
This photo clearly shows a very old boundary wall that abuts a road verge in Redruth. The client decided to re-use the existing stone. In terms of work, re-using the stone takes more time and skill but obviously can save on the cost of stone. This type of old wall is full of insect and other life and we take care to protect and replace any reptiles we find such as the common lizard safely back to the rebuilt section.This is the wall at Redruth in the process of being rebuilt. This involved demolishing a section at a time, sorting through the stone and earth to find the better larger stones to act as ‘Grounders’ – a foundation for the wall above. The wall was then rebuilt carefully ensuring that the earth was packed in tightly. Vegetation above the wall was retained as far as possible and blended into the new stone and earth.
Here is the completed Redruth wall. The section was approximately 20 metres in length and the estimated time to rebuild was around 10-12 days. Of course a lot of our work is weather dependent!
This poorly old wall in Porthleven was in dire need of some attention. The work was complicated by two telegraph poles, the old stone and vegetation. (2017)
This is the same old wall rebuilt with the existing stone, this rebuild using the upright style matches the original hedge to either side of the gap. When using original stone it can sometimes be tricky to find exactly the shape of stone needed so these are what we like to call ‘character walls’
This next section of photos illustrates our traditional skills when landscaping….. When working in the autumn and winter months the progress can be slower due to weather conditions however, stone and earth are forgiving materials and it doesn’t take long for nature to start to repair the living areas.This shows the same area almost finished where we joined an existing low wall, creating a new raised walling area and access steps.
This is a graded low wall finished with one layer of pitchers. Traditionally pitchers were a good way of using some of the shillet left behind when larger slate and stone was fashioned to fit into the hedge. Sometimes, however, depending on the stone, pitchers have to be made specifically for the wall and do take some time. Below you can see the same wall ready for the area to be turfed.
Graded low wall now finished with the area ready for turfing (Wadebridge area 2021)
This hedge is 1.2m wide at the base and 1.2m high which are the traditional dimensions of a Cornish hedge. The earth is packed in to stabilise the wall however this wall is not ‘battered’ with the curve that is traditional with Cornish hedges as the client (a Leisure Park near St Merryn) requested that the wall match an existing wall built by others. The wall was finished with two layers of pitchers laid in a Herringbone pattern. 2018.
Golvan Hedging & Landscaping 