14 MAY 1994, Page 39

The New Gap

One time I'd have said that wood had little chance against stone. Until I noticed what a growing tree did to Patrick's wall I'd have said that wood was much like flesh and bone and stood no chance when it came up against stone; but I was wrong and now where Patrick's drystone wall once bulged with a belly not unlike his own there's a new gap for ewes and lambs that wouldn't be there at all if wood had stood such a poor chance against stone.

Francis Harvey