Welcome to the Dry Stone Walling Association

Welcome to the Dry Stone Walling Association’s (DSWA) website, which we hope you will find both informative and helpful.

The main aims of the Association are to promote a greater understanding and knowledge about the traditional craft of dry stone walling and to encourage the repair and maintenance of dry stone walls throughout the country.

 

The Dry Stone Walling Association has a network of branches across the country.  Each one organises a wide range of activities throughout the year, including training courses, practice days and demonstrations at local shows and events.

 

FAQ's

Q1

How do I join the DSWA?

See our Join Us page for the link to an application form which should be completed and returned to the DSWA office.

Q2

How can I pay for my
membership?

Either by Direct Debit or securely through Paypal on this website.

Q3

Where is my nearest branch?

See our Branches page on our website.

Q4

How do I book a dry stone
walling course?

Contact the local branch for beginner courses or the DSWA Office for residential courses. View more info on our Training Courses.

Q5

How do I find out about dry stone walling qualifications?

See our qualifications information.

Q6

Do you have any training manuals that I can buy?

See the Shop pages.

Q7

How do I find a dry stone waller in my area?

Use the Professional Register on the Contractors section of the website.

Q8

I have a wall on my land, can I remove it?

According to government guidelines, you should not remove dry stone walls or remove stone from them. Please see www.gov.uk and search for protecting rural landscapes and features.

Q9

How much does it cost to rebuild a dry stone wall?

This depends on many factors, such as the dimensions of the wall, the condition of the wall and the type of stone.

Traditionally dry stone walls were charged by a linear metre but this obviously does not account for the height. It is more common today for dry stone walls to be charged by the square metre.

For a rebuild where all the stone is to hand, one might expect to pay between £60 to £100 per square metre.

If it is a new wall where stone is required, then it will require 1 tonne of stone to build 1 square metre of wall. Building stone costs anywhere between £60 to £120 per tonne. Therefore the approximate price range for a new wall is somewhere between £120 to £220 per square metre.

This is only an estimate as costs can fluctuate according to all the factors mentioned above.

Q10

I have a derelict wall on my land, is there any funding available to repair it?

Generally speaking, funding to repair or rebuild dry stone walls is only available for walls on an agricultural holding that is registered under an agricultural- conservation scheme such as the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

More information can be found at www.gov.uk by searching for countryside stewardship grant finder (BN12 stone wall restoration).

Walls within designated areas such as National Parks, AONB’s or Conservation Areas, may also be eligible for funding through local grants.

Q11

Does a dry stone wall need a concrete foundation?

No, a dry stone wall does not need a concrete foundation.

Dry stone walls by there very nature are intended to be able to flex and settle through the action of the weather and frost. The vast majority of walls found in the British Isles have lasted hundreds of years built in this fashion.

Q12

I want to apply for a CSCS card, how do I do this?

Following amendments, this is now the LISS/CSCS card and is administered by BALI. In order to apply for the card for dry stone walling (Blue Skilled Worker Card) you will need to have:

You can then apply for your LISS/CSCS card online here.