The UK is in the process of compiling an Inventory of National Living Heritage and there is more detail at the end of this post.
The Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain (DSWA) are engaged in this process to include the craft of Dry Stone Walling as our living heritage and join an international community who have already done so.
Part of the process is that the DSWA need to be able to demonstrate that we have consulted a ‘community’ of those who would support us to include the craft of Dry Stone Walling in the Inventory. We have had a positive response from the DSWA community as you would expect but felt that it was important to reach out to a wider community of stakeholders.
This is why you are being asked to contribute.
There is no commitment or cost to do anything other than to support by completing the form by Monday 2nd March at
DRY STONE WALLING AND THE UK LIVING HERITAGE INVENTORY FORM
It should take less than 30 seconds to complete and submit.
Apologies for the relatively short timescale but there is a longer submission to complete that the DSWA will undertake to do by the deadline of 27 March 2026.
More details information can be found in the text below.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Jack Taylor (DSWA Trustee), Brian Hartley (DSWA Craft Skills Group) & Terry McCormick (DSWA Cumbria Branch Member)
DRY STONE WALLING AND THE UK LIVING HERITAGE INVENTORY
IMPORTANT! Please read and action this by 2nd March 2026
In 2003, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations) established a Living Heritage Safeguarding Convention which aimed to protect all aspects of living heritage which told national stories and helped individuals and communities be proud of where they live. To date, over 150 nation states have signed up to this convention and the UK made their commitment to support it on 1st December 2025.
The first step is to develop an inventory of the living heritage before 27 March 2026. The UK Government Department of Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is undertaking this by requesting the submission of an ‘Expression of Interest’. This process is being led by DSWA Working Group made up of selected Trustees and members. We are also being supported through our membership of the Heritage Alliance who have recently put in place advisors.
The DSWA Trustees feel that it is important that the craft of Dry Stone Walling should form part of the UK Living Heritage Inventory. It clearly supports our Purpose Statement in the Constitution of the DSWA. Living Heritage covers all aspects of our heritage which is not material. In our case, it is the craft of dry stone walling which is both practised by DSWA members at members walling days, by members of the public via training courses and by educating the public at shows and fairs etc.
The most important aspect of the submission process is to demonstrate ‘free, prior and informed consent’ before going ahead with a submission before 27 March 2026. So, for our craft of dry stone walling, this means that we are asking interested parties to approve this action.
Therefore, we need you complete this form
DRY STONE WALLING AND THE UK LIVING HERITAGE INVENTORY FORM
by 2nd March 2026.
Why is this important?
Our craft has never been formally supported by the national government. Submission will ensure that dry stone walling is recorded for all to see in a national inventory supported by our DCMS. Dry stone walling will not be invisible.
Being in the inventory will be of direct help when developing grant applications for dry stone walling.
Once each inventory is completed and accepted into the whole, each craft and activity has an opportunity to collaborate in a network with other countries that have signed the convention and made submissions to the inventory. This could lead to learning and training exchanges; collaboration in funding bids.
There is already a UNESCO dry stone walling network of thirteen European countries. This strength in numbers could be invaluable for small groups of practitioners within single nations: ‘Dry Stone Wallers of the World Unite!’
Thank you for taking the time to read this. We hope/trust that you will positively support our aim to make a submission for the Living Heritage Inventory by 27th March this year.
For further information see:
Living Heritage | UNESCO & Communities to nominate UK traditions for new inventory – GOV.UK