“P" is for Pisé de Terre

“P" is for Pisé de Terre. Pisé de Terre or rammed earth, is an ancient form of building construction. Clay is the basic material in rammed earth buildings. After a foundation of brick or stone is laid, clay is poured into wooden molds and then tamped until solid. Additional layers are added until the walls reached the desired height, and the finished walls are coated with stucco. In 1821 Dr. William W. Anderson used the technique to rebuild the wings of the Borough House, the main building and some outbuildings at his Hill Crest plantation. In 1850 he persuaded the Episcopal congregation of Stateburg to use pisé de terre in constructing the Church of the Holy Cross. The Borough House and its outbuildings constitute the largest complex of pisé de terre buildings in the United States.