What Is This in This Downton Abbey Screenshot?

a reply to: windword

I'm inclined to agree with you but I wish it were a beautiful stone wall!

a reply to: Mary Rose

You know, where I used to live, there were a lot of ditches, built to carry water, that were lined with stones. Maybe this ditch is lined with stones too!

originally posted by: Mary Rose

Could it be that from the other side the ditch looks like a wall?

That's what a ha ha is. It is designed to be invisible from one side (the side seen from the main house) but still acts as a barrier. I'm pretty sure it is a ha ha. Looking from the house (the other side from the OP's pic) it would appear to be unbroken grass.

I live not far from Highclere but am ashamed to say I haven't visited.

Edit; on the other hand, looking at the Google Maps aerial view it does appear to be a ditch. Note the bridge over it.

a reply to: Rob48

They could still have a bridge across a Haha.
I suggest you hot foot it down to Highclere seeing as you are so close, and we have all this lovely weather......oh....and pic's or it didn't happen.


However, a Haha is more like a retaining wall, so wouldn't the stone face be facing the house? That's what's confusing me.


and....


So we're back to a drainage ditch?

Rainbows
Jane

No, it's a haha - I've been there and seen it. The retaining wall faces away from the house so that the structure is invisible to the toffs-in-residence; together with the ditch, it forms a barrier so that grazing animals can be seen adorning the parkland, but they can't get up close and smelly with the big house. The fence posts are a later, unlovely addition.

originally posted by: angelchemuel
a reply to: Rob48

However, a Haha is more like a retaining wall, so wouldn't the stone face be facing the house? That's what's confusing me.

and....

So we're back to a drainage ditch?

No, look at your diagrams again: the wall faces away from the house. A properly designed haha is basically invisible from the house; you just see grass with a barely perceptible difference in levels.

Looking again at the Google Maps view I think you can just make out the stone wall on the face of the ditch nearest the house. And in the photo with the man pointing, the wall would be hidden as it is on the side nearest him.

originally posted by: cody599
a reply to: Mary Rose

It's what we call drystone walling in England.

Linky

An art form we're losing unfortunately.

Cody

Ive built/repaired more of these with my grandfather on this farm in wales than i care to remember.

Also done a few dry stone [till they get in the water anyway] dams in the river to keep it high/big enough for the sheep.

Thanks ATS!

I love ATS. Even in a thread about "Downton Abbey" we get posts with diagrams and arrows.

a reply to: SummerLightning

Maybe the fence became necessary at Highclere after the popularity of Downton Abbey brought increased traffic to the site and parking needed to be managed?

Here's a screenshot - from when Bates comes home after being released from prison - that shows the need for the haha:



Pretty!

a reply to: Mary Rose

But that's at totally the opposite end as it where to the original aerial view in the OP.

Still waiting on Rob48 to hot foot it over there and take piccy's......HINT, HINT!


Rainbows
Jane

originally posted by: Biigs

originally posted by: cody599
a reply to: Mary Rose

It's what we call drystone walling in England.

Linky

An art form we're losing unfortunately.

Cody

Ive built/repaired more of these with my grandfather on this farm in wales than i care to remember.

Also done a few dry stone [till they get in the water anyway] dams in the river to keep it high/big enough for the sheep.

Much respect to you for learning a dying art, all too often there are not enough youngsters interested in learning the old skills, when I was a boat builder I was the youngest guy there and I was 37 at the time.

Cody

a reply to: angelchemuel

Here's a shot that shows the fence from the house.



The question is, what's on the other side? Just a ditch, or a ditch and a retaining wall?