Dear List,
We have now excavated out the 4 corners of the 12/13rh century hemp pool at Mine Tenement and in the north western corner the remaining pool wall is over 5m in height. This clearly shows the need for the internal buttresses to stop the walls falling inwards when the retting pool was emptied of water.
However, we are completely baffled by the fact that the pool walls have been built in the shape of a perfect parallelogram (with opposite pairs of sides equal in length and parallel, and opposite angles equal). Why build a parallelogram and not an oblong shaped pool?
Is this something to do with strength? We have now been able to calculate that the pool, when full, contained over half a million gallons of water - hence 8 internal buttresses and a 2 degree outward lean on the walls. The pressures when emptied must have been huge.
Any good mathematicians out there who would like to comment?
Kindest regards,
Trevor
http://www.cmsmrps.org.uk - a community archaeology initiative.
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