Dry stone walling at Brook Lane

Restoring 30 metres of collapsed dry stone wall

A fantastic joint effort by volunteers from the Cotswold Wardens, the Wychwood Project dry stone walling group and Wychwood v has restored 30 metres of collapsed dry stone wall alongside Brook Lane in Stonesfield. Passing ramblers, dog walkers and village families admired the work as it progressed and several stopped off to have a go at this old and fascinating rural craft. Many of the older people paused to reminisce about walls and wallers that have been important to them at some time in their lives.

Funds for buying in new stone and a specialist trainer for the courses were provided by the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment and the Cotswolds Conservation Board. Four training courses, run by Mark Stratton, provided ample opportunity for people to learn the basic dry stone walling skills or to improve existing skills. The rest of the work was completed by volunteers under the expert guidance of Trevor Townsend and Andrew Deller who shared their knowledge and skills and did their best to keep an enthusiastic band of wallers on track.

A specific focus was put on recruiting young people to try their hand at this most demanding of crafts and nine different young people aged between 16 and 25 came along, through the Wychwood v project, to have a go. They found the work extremely challenging both physically and mentally. Vincent Day, a resident of Stonesfield, who volunteers with Wychwood v said, ‘ I didn’t realise it would be such hard work my brain and my body ache at the end of the day, I am glad that I don’t have to do it every day for work. But the satisfaction of seeing the wall completed was worth all the effort’.

For more information about dry stone walling or the Wychwood v project for young people please contact Jane Bowley, Wychwood v Project Officer on 01993 814131 or email:Wychwood.v@oxfordshire.gov.uk .