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Jersey Jigsaw and German Excess
Sunday 21 October, 2012
News Brief


Jersey's walls point to availability of mortar

Full Story:

The problem with being a geologist is that either in the countryside or in the build environment, rocks are everywhere, so you can never go on holiday without spotting something of interest.

Such was the case on a recent weekend to Jersey, lets just say it was like seeing a penguin on the savannah, it just begged for an explanation.

Geologically Jersey comprises three main rock types. In the West, North and South East a massive pink granite forming amongst others the buttress headlands of Corbiere, Grosnez and Gorey. A slabby rather dull rock called a greywacke which can be seen in the unfinished German war tunnels in the middle, and in the East around the breakwater at St Catherine’s a conglomerate which for all the world looks like a pebbly concrete. (Images opposite refer)

Throughout the island granite has been used in the built environment for farm walls, harbours and buildings. Generally the stone in a natural undressed form is intricately jigsawed together utilising the minimum of lime or cement mortar to bond the structure. Throughout history, with no natural source of lime except for burning sea shells, mortar was clearly at a premium and what little was used was simply raked back to provide a waterproof joint, as shown by our image taken of 16th century fortifications at Mont Orguil Castle

The surprise came when visiting the German Batterie Lothringen fortification on the South coast at Noirmont. Granite walls adjacent to the ammunition stores displayed an uncharacteristically bold ribbon or strap pointing. My initial thoughts were that it was a canny Jerseymen working for the Germans for additional pay/rations decided to drag the job out with some intricate pointing. However, guides suggest that the pointing may have been produced by Spanish Republican prisoners. This theory ties in well with the assertion that ribbon pointing is not favoured in wetter, more northern climates as it is more likely to trap water giving rise to damp penetration and frost damage.

With vast volumes of imported cement, being used to build gun emplacements during 1941- 43, and with the availability of local sands mortar was suddenly available in abundance. Granite walls could rapidly be constructed by unskilled labourers but the pride of the construction was in the detailed pointing. As the final image demonstrates in spite of being strongly cement based and taking the full force of the Atlantic elements for over 60 years the mortar remains good to this day.

Extra Information:

For more information, please visit this related link:  Buy Specialist Mortar Sands.



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Jersey Jigsaw and German Excess
Jersey Jigsaw and German Excess
Jersey Jigsaw and German Excess
Jersey Jigsaw and German Excess
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