(continued)

If projecting, coping:
- Prevents individual stones from becoming dislodged.

If sharp on top, coping:
- Prevents or possibly frightens animals such as sheep from climbing or jumping over the wall.

Hydraulic additives such as cement may be considered for coping mortars if the wall is subject to severe weather conditions and if it is being completed during winter, in which case it needs to be kept covered until spring. Unfortunately, many modern stone walls do not have a coping because they are filled with concrete and built in sand and cement which does not wash out with the rain, although the efflorescence from salts may be a problem. However, such walls always look unfinished.

Ragged crenelated tops can be seen on some mortared walls that have lost their coping, and over time these will deteriorate further. Other mortared walls appear to have been built without any coping and are now suffering the results.

Dos and Don'ts for Coping Stone Walls

Do build copings to match the local traditional style.
Do use a hydraulic mortar to build copings.
Do keep joints tight in copings.
Do lay a heavy coping stone on wall ends to prevent dislodgement.

Patrick McAfee divides his time between workshops on stone and lime and consultancy work around Ireland. He hopes that "Irish Stone Walls" will be a useful guide to amateur and professional stone workers and an accessible history on the use of stone in Ireland throughout the centuries.

Irish Stone Walls by Patrick McAfee is published by The O'Brien Press and distributed by Independent Publishers Group. Hardback $24.95, available in bookstore nationwide and at Amazon.

Projecting coping, level on top and with its face in range. Projections give protection and throw attractive shadows. Image: Patrick McAfee A very common projecting coping, crenelated on top and known as 'cow and calf,' 'coxcomb,' 'king and queen,' or by a variety of other names. Image: Patrick McAfee Projecting coping on alternate stones only, all of which are much the same width and level on top. Image: Patrick McAfee Similar to projecting coping on alternative stones but alternate stones are different widths. Image: Patrick McAfee Projecting coping on alternate stones only, all of which are the same width and crenelated on top. Image: Patrick McAfee A half barrel-type coping that may or may not project, typical of those found in County Monaghan cut from sandstone. Image: Patrick McAfee A flat projecting coping, similar to the Mourne Wall. Image: Patrick McAfee Irish Stone Walls, by Patrick McAfee, combines photography of the beautiful Irish countryside with a practical handbook of the ancient craft of stone masonry. Image: The O'Brien Press   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.