# General > Gardening >  Flags under ground

## ducati

Hi I live on a de-crofted croft. Small house large garden and small field.

I am wrestling with the field trying to bring it into the garden and every time I dig anywhere, I come across flagstones laid about 6 to 12 inches under the surface.

Anyone know why? or I am I digging up important archaeology  ::

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## ducati

Well as 27 of you have looked at this and no one has replied I assume it is not common. I wondered if it might be to do with drainage?

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## porshiepoo

Depending on where you live in Caithness I think it's quite a rocky place underground.

Do you have a quarry close by? Or the remains of one?
It could possibly be the remains of an old croft building??

Unless you want to give your land up for an archeological dig I'd keep quiet. :Wink:

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## ducati

> Depending on where you live in Caithness I think it's quite a rocky place underground.
> 
> Do you have a quarry close by? Or the remains of one?
> It could possibly be the remains of an old croft building??
> 
> Unless you want to give your land up for an archeological dig I'd keep quiet.


Mmmm...get my field dug over for free, might be worth a phone call  :Wink:

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## porshiepoo

> Mmmm...get my field dug over for free, might be worth a phone call


As long as you don't mind not being able to do anything with it for the forseeable future.  ::

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## dozy

> Hi I live on a de-crofted croft. Small house large garden and small field.
> 
> I am wrestling with the field trying to bring it into the garden and every time I dig anywhere, I come across flagstones laid about 6 to 12 inches under the surface.
> 
> Anyone know why? or I am I digging up important archaeology


Hi there .In the olden days the crofters used to dig up the bit in front or back of the croft,  place flags down then recover with 4" of soil/grass .This gave the animals hardstanding,but because the flags would get slippy in the wet thats why they recovered the flags. Its called Stalding (to sink).

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## ducati

> Hi there .In the olden days the crofters used to dig up the bit in front or back of the croft, place flags down then recover with 4" of soil/grass .This gave the animals hardstanding,but because the flags would get slippy in the wet thats why they recovered the flags. Its called Stalding (to sink).


Now that looks exactly like what I am finding. Thanks for that Dozy. I guess over the years they have sunk a bit deeper.

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## Kevin Milkins

> Now that looks exactly like what I am finding. Thanks for that Dozy. I guess over the years they have sunk a bit deeper.


Or over a few hundred years there has been about 9 inches of poo deposited on the top.

Good explanation though dozy, that makes good sense.

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## ducati

> Or over a few hundred years there has been about 9 inches of poo deposited on the top.
> 
> Good explanation though dozy, that makes good sense.


Thanks for that KM  ::  Good job I'm wearing my wellys  ::

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## wifie

> Or over a few hundred years there has been about 9 inches of poo deposited on the top.


Dash it that sounds like a good growing medium, Kev!  All round to ducati's for rhubarb crumble this year then!!!   :Smile:

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## ducati

> Dash it that sounds like a good growing medium, Kev! All round to ducati's for rhubarb crumble this year then!!!


Actually, yer not far wrong there, I've got tons of it  :: 

rhubarb that is.

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## wifie

> Actually, yer not far wrong there, I've got tons of it 
> 
> rhubarb that is.


Let's get ready to crumble!!!   ::

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## ducati

I'll be getting the big pot on the stove in a couple of weeks looking at the size of it now  ::

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## wifie

I could manage a trip up - I love rhubarb crumble - how's yer custard?

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## ducati

> I could manage a trip up - I love rhubarb crumble - how's yer custard?


Custard? Ahh...........might be a bit of an issue there  ::

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## wifie

Oh OK I'll bring the custard!   ::  

(mind you mine is usually purchased from M&S or Tesco   :: )

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## laguna2

I would prefer cream with mine please Wifie  :Wink:

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## wifie

> I would prefer cream with mine please Wifie


I am doing a custard deal you will have to work yer own deal out wi ducati!

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## ducati

> I am doing a custard deal you will have to work yer own deal out wi ducati!


Ice Cream anyone? two for one at Tesco this week  ::

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## wifie

> Ice Cream anyone? two for one at Tesco this week


I am very fussy about my ice cream so nah sorry has to be custard for me but I canna speak for laguna!   :Wink:

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## ducati

Ooookay! Its coming up this weekend. I recon enough to feed a big portion to about 150 people  :: 



Maybe I should get a huge tub on a fire out back and go for one of those biggest crumble in the world deallys  :: 

I can see the new signs: Welcome to Caithness, the Crumble County
(and once again in Gaelic)  ::

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## wifie

Tha blas math air seo.  Tapadh leat!   :Wink:

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## ducati

> Tha blas math air seo. Tapadh leat!


Glad yer like it  :Wink:  (pretending he reads Gaelic)  ::  (and didn't get a PM with translation)  ::

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