21/10/2019

Meet the team keeping the craft of dry stone walling alive


Dry-stone walling is often viewed as a dying craft. But SB Homes is helping to keep the profession alive, by constructing dry stone walls in the external landscape of all our developments.

 

We have utilised over 220 tonnes and 650 sq. m. worth of stone in our latest scheme, Empire Works. It is an amount equivalent to almost twenty double decker buses.

 

 

Empire Works has taken advantage of local Yorkshire stone from the famous Wellfield Quarry at Crosland Moor – just three miles from the site. It has been used to create land boundaries and garden walls.

 

Stephen Byram, our managing director, believes that dry stone walls are one of the unique ways to differentiate his homes, from that of large-scale developers.

 

He said: “Yorkshire people love a well-built wall. And there’s something about a dry-stone wall which is really endearing – mainly because it’s a recognisable ancient craft which is still relevant today. The skill of dry-stone walling is very much an art form and we employ highly capable stonemasons, who really deserve all the credit.”

 

 

Ian Hinchcliffe, Jack Davies, Paul Tolson and their team are the talent behind the work. “Dry stone walls are a quality mark in the eyes of many people,” Ian said. “It’s quite a skill. They fit together like a jigsaw, and the small spaces have to be filled in to make the wall strong. We cut and shape our own topping stones, which is a time-consuming process, but well worth it.

 

“We find that when we’re building them, people stop and watch – often because they’ve never seen anything like it before. We’re proud to create beautiful walls which will stand for generations to come.”

 

Stephen finished: “My father loved building dry stone walls and it was a skill he had a good reputation for – which he taught me from a young age. As a family business, we’re proud to carry on the tradition.”

 

SB Homes

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Meet the team keeping the craft of dry stone walling alive | SB Homes

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