Our Hidden Gate Farm project may be a new custom build, but touches of historic craftsmanship have been woven into this equestrian estate from the very beginning. From handmade Kentucky shale brick chimneys to post and beam-framed stables, each detail within the estate has been carefully considered by our team and our collaborators to create a home that is rooted in central Kentucky materials and architectural traditions.
The main entryway was no exception. From the very first stages of the planning process, our client, architect, and landscape designer collaborated on the vision for this entryway, bringing in collaborators from the Dry Stone Conservancy to design and craft a dynamic dry stone entryway leading from the main road to the main residence.
building on tradition
Dry stone masonry requires no mortar, instead relying on precise stone placement, gravity and frictional resistance to create stability. As durable as it is beautiful, dry stone masonry also allows for drainage of water and moisture year-round, which prevents the cracking that can occur when water freezes and thaws inside mortared seams.
The practice of dry stone masonry can be traced back to some of the oldest civilizations on earth, and has deep roots in Kentucky as well – in colonial times, the working knowledge of Scotch-Irish settlers and the local abundance of limestone made dry stone masonry a popular choice for homes, barns, bridges, border fences, and more.
Source: Traditional dry-stone walling on the Cricieth road (1468653).jpg by Geoff Charles under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0.
.jpg|Traditional_dry-stone_walling_on_the_Cricieth_road_(1468653)]]){kind=link}
Working from the first stages of construction planning with the talented artisans like Russell Waddell from the Dry Stone Conservancy, we were able to collaboratively plan each detail of the entryway, including a round “moon window” opening and cascading step stones, traditionally used to create accessible crossings over long dry stone walls.
Other functional details include a culvert to allow for controlled water dissipation down a steep grade, and a covercourse on top of the wall that promotes drainage away from the wall.
in partnership with the dry stone conservancy
This level of detail and craftsmanship is only possible with the help of incredibly talented partners and artisans like Waddell and the rest of the team at the Dry Stone Conservancy, and with the comprehensive planning process that frames each and every one of our projects from day one.
In every one of our custom build projects, our exhaustive planning process leaves no stone unturned. It’s an especially important practice for our estate farm projects like Hidden Gate, where each structure has the opportunity to carry the legacy of the surroundings and the family for generations to come.
