Although the old bridge and wharf timbers are of the very best quality, a hundred years or so of constant pounding does tend to punish the exterior faces a little.

 Of course there are two ways of looking at this situation...

Some say that you can't put a price on such an effect and that they love the history that plainly shows itself in such a weathered stick. There is no doubt that they are right.

Others say that their dressed timber has all of the history still there, but "look at how beautifull the tightness of that grain now looks!!"  and  "isn't the difference just amazing?!"    And there is little doubt that they too are correct.