Stone Walls in Pre-Industrial Amesbury

Moving rocks from the field with a stone boat and horses. (Courtesy of Vyacheslav Tolstov on stihi.ru, accompanying his poem, “Stone Carriage.”)

Have you ever wondered about the historic significance of Amesbury’s stone walls? Perhaps questioned why a line of various rocks is being used instead of a wooden fence to barricade town property? Take, for example, the stone wall along Newton Road, near the Powwow River. Between 1775 and 1825, according to Kevin Gardner – author of The Granite Kiss – these incredible walls, such as that one, were prevalent throughout New England.

Therefore, these stone walls are more than barriers; they are symbols of Amesbury’s rich past and the craftsmanship of industrious farmers, who lived here centuries ago.

Wish to learn more about the city’s stone walls? Well, look no further! Amesbury Carriage Museum (ACM) can provide answers to feed your curiosity, via this article written by Susan Koso.