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4/5/22

Witchert Walls - Special Projects

Kingerlee’s Special Projects division is currently working on a project that involves the conversion of a former Grade ll Listed public house into a family home. During demolition, the site team discovered Witchert Walls within the existing property.
  
Witchert, meaning white earth, is the name given to the local earth building material, known as 'cob' in other parts of the country. The subsoil in these areas mainly consists of decayed Portland limestone and clay. When thoroughly mixed with water and chopped straw, it produces a walling material of high quality.
  
The material was mostly used in the 17th and 18th centuries and had largely been phased out by the 1920s.
  
The team will have to re-create the material to repair the existing wall.