Mystery Post
Dismantling a greenhouse over the weekend, I discovered this mystery post. I’m pretty sure I found it in an old hedge round the back of the pig sty – and I have absolutely no idea what it is – so if anyone stumbles across this Mystery Post post and has an idea, please do get in touch!
In a nutshell – it’s oak, which would suggest something built to last. It’s about 4 feet long, has no signs of ever having been in the ground. The one end – let’s assume the lower half – is square section, about 4.5 inch square and has a squared off base. The top half is shaved on the sides, to make a rough eight-sided length that feels a bit like a handle. The very top is carved into a pyramid shape – pointed – and has two holes drilled through, at right-angles to each other.
Now oak isn’t something that’s shaved easily, and you simply wouldn’t bother doing it for no reason, especially given the age of this. I would imagine it’s 50 years old or so.
First Possibility
My first thought was ‘fencepost’. But then if so, why the shaved edges? And there’s no signs of rotting, which we get in posts at ground level here due to the water table. A corner post would make sense as the two sets of holes could take a bar or rope at right-angles, but then why bother to shave off the edges (they’re not neatly shaved either, so not particularly decorative)? And why the pointy top – the worst shape for the top of a post.
Second Possibility
Another thought, given the flat base and rounded top end, was a tamper for post holes – but again, why the perpendicular holes? One pair of handles might be useful, but two?
Like I said, any ideas, please get in touch! It’s a mystery!