A Special Hadrian's Wall!!

I was commissioned by David Cross to build a wall at the bottom of his garden to separate a vegetable plot and play area from the main lawn. The garden had been levelled ready for landscaping and David wanted the wall building before the turf and plants were brought on site.

David, being an architect and a director of Coda Studios, wanted something special for his garden. After a couple of site visits to throw some ideas around and to physically mark out our ideas so that we could visualise what the end result would be, David decided on an undulating, curved wall in two sections with a seat built into one section. A doddle eh!!

David had moved 20 tonnes of stone from his front drive to the bottom of the garden so while I pinned out the job I had help from Sam, Andy and Jake to sort the stone into foundation stone, building stone, through stone, cheek end stone, stone for the seat and potential stone for the copestones. This in itself took a great deal of time and was in fact an ongoing process throughout the build.

After 50 man hours the first section of curved undulating wall was built. Now the next challenge
the same again plus a seat! I’d thought long and hard on how to pin this section out and spent a good 3 hours placing pins and running strings between them to visualise the finished job and to make sure the curve and line of the wall and seat flowed.

On this section I had the help of Dom and Declan who had completed their DSWA Level 1 exams at their college under the guidance of Master Craftsman Bill Noble. I’d brought them along to help sort the remaining stone and to act as labourers bringing me the stone I required as I built the wall. I could see they were dying to have a go and put some stone into the wall so under supervision I let them loose on the wall. They did a great job. I was really impressed at their skills and the care they took. A credit to their teacher!

The wall and seat completed it then took me a days work (on my own, everyone seemed to do a runner at this stage – I wonder why?!!) to select cut and shape nearly 200 (cope) stones for the top of the wall. I had arms like Arnie by the time I’d finished!!

What has made the wall for me is the excitement and delight with which it has been received by David and his wife Toni. In fact David got so enthused he built himself a little wall around the plot with the spare stone and considering he hadn’t had any tuition he did a great job of it. (He’d have done better if he’d been on one of my courses!!). When David said to me ‘It’s even better than I imagined! It’s beautiful. I’m delighted.’ then I knew I had done a good job!

A Beginners Dry Stone Walling Course from a students perspective

Beginners Dry Stone Walling Course 11^th -12^th August 2007, Silkstone Common, South Yorkshire

Instructor : Les Young

Students: Andy Suttie ( this is moi), Alan Bell, John Armitage, Mike Dennis, Ian Garside, Reece Senior

The course started on the Saturday morning, where else but in the local Pub ( The Station Inn). Unfortunately the bar was closed and tea / coffee was all that was available. We started with the some basic theory for approx 1 hour. We then went off to Nabs Wood, a quiet little spot, the sun was shining, it was going to be a beautiful day, in fact it was bloody roasting.

We were to continue a wall started by a previous course. We did, in the end do another 4.5 meters between the 6 of us. We first had to get our stone sorted out, this sounds a bit daft but it really does make life a lot easier when you start to build your wall, largest stones in a row nearest the wall, and then about 4 or 5 more rows with the smallest stones furthest from the wall. This took about 1.5 hours. After lunch we started by preparing the foundations, then used the largest stones for the base. During the course of the day we did the first foot of the wall. Les kept everyone happy by preparing copious amounts of tea. We finished on the Saturday at about 1630, and guess what, yes back to the pub for some light refreshment in the form of Tetley’s, and I don’t mean Teabags. As is normal we then went to the Chilli Lodge Indian Restaurant for some nice food and some more beer........

On Sunday we were back on the job at 0930 to continue the wall. We were lucky with the weather again, although cooler it stayed dry. By lunch time we had the first lift done and the through stones in place. The second lift was complete by about 1500, and by 1600 we had the copestones in place and our part in the great rewall of Nabs Wood done. We then adjourned to the pub for a well earned beer(s) and the certificate presentation.

During the weekend we had a couple of visits from Barry a professional dry stone waller from High Hoyland. I think he only turned up for a brew! We also had a visit from Charlotte from Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, who said she was impressed by the work we had done.

It was a great weekend and a great course, Les really knows his stuff. I would recommend anyone to have a go at Dry Stone Walling, man or woman. It is very relaxing and when the weather is as nice as it was this weekend, it makes it all the more enjoyable. Also I made some new friends, a real nice bunch of guys. At the end of course, you have something to show for your efforts, which will be there for many years to come.

Andy Suttie

Welwyn Garden City

Beginners Course at Silkstone Common 11th and 12th August 2007

The course gathered at The Station Inn at Silkstone Common on a sunny and warm day for a cup of tea and a steady start to the day. Our students included ex Army and Navy personnel, Telecoms Engineer, Insurance Broker and Driving Instructor to name a few. After an hours introduction and theory session we took leave of the best landlord in South Yorkshire, Mark Grey, and travelled the short distance to our walling site in Nabs Wood.

It wasn't long before the students were wiping their brow due to the exertions of stripping down the wall and sorting out the stone into the seperate component parts i.e. foundation stone, walling stone, throughstones, copestones and heartings. Although this part of the walling process can be quite tedious it's an essential part of the process and fits into my ethos of the 7 P's, which should be well known to all servicemen, which are - Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Pi** Poor Performance! Witticisms aside, preparation is paramount in marking out and planning your wall before a stone is even laid.

Under the tuition of Les Young the pins were set and the wall started taking shape and despite the efforts of a couple of nosey dogs to derail the course, the wall was at a foot high when we packed in for the day.

It has now become a tradition that on the Saturday evening of the course we all descend on the Chilli Lodge, and excellent Indian restaurant located a few hundred yards from the walling site at Westfield Equestrian Centre - after a couple of well earned pints of Tetley's back at the Station Inn that is!! This course there were 17 poeple at the table!! The company included the current students, past students, parents of past students, professional dry stone wallers, significant other halfs and the lovely Charlotte from Rotherham Chamber of Commerce who had given up her Saturday to report on our walling courses. I'm please to say that the company and meal were excellent as were the Bangla's with which we rinsed it down with!












































Sunday was a little cooler with not as much sun but for us working under under the sheltered and shady canopy of Nabs Wood it didn't affect us too much. Before too long we had completed the first lift and placed the throughstones into the wall. The walling carried on in relative silence, a sure sign of concentration and effort, which I think you'll agree turned out to be a splendid piece of walling for the students first try at dry stone walling!!

A big thank you to (from L to R) Andy, Reece, Alan, Mike, John and Ian for their participance, company, wit and repartee!

For information on Hadrian's Dry Stone Walls please click here.

Alternatively you can call Les Young on +44 (0)7952 551025.

Dry Stone Walling Courses

The Beginners Course at Silkstone Common 11th and 12th August is now fully booked and the Beginners Course at the same location on the 6th and 7th of October is filling fast.

Unfortunately we have had to cancel two courses at Colden, 20th - 24th August and 15th-16th September due to family commitments. We now have a waiting list for budding wallers who want to attend a course at Colden, West Yorkshire which we hope hold on a weekend sometime in the Autumn. Please call Les for details (07952 551025) or email les@hadriansdrystonewalls.com

Courses at our partner dry stone walling training company Border Stonecraft continue to be very popular and have a high demand. Please go to Border Stonecraft to book a place at a course in the Scottish Borders.

Course dates for 2008 are now on our web site www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk.

New for 2008 are our Special features Courses. Already earmarked is an Apiary made from dry stone at a college for young people with special needs near Wakefield. More details are at our Special Features Courses page or you can call Les on 07952 551025 or email at les@hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

Filming with John Cravens Countryfile

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting one of the icons of my youth, Mr John Craven of Newsround fame. My dry stone walling course partner Colin Purvis of Border Stonecraft had been approached by the BBC’s Countryfile team to do a TV program on dry stane dyking and Colin’s dry stone walling courses in the Scottish Borders and Colin asked me if I’d give him a hand.

I had no hesitation and agreed to Colin’s request not only for a chance to meet one of the great broadcasters of recent years but for another opportunity to wall in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland and to meet up again with past students, namely Grant and Ron.

I drove up on the Tuesday night through some of the most torrential rain I’ve experienced, although when I crossed the border it had turned into a lovely evening. I checked in at my usual haunt when in Hawick, Lynwood Cottage where it was great to see proprietors Maggie and David again.

After a great nights sleep in the fantastic surroundings of Lynwood Cottage it was off to meet Colin. We had some time to kill as the other members of the walling gang weren’t due to meet us until 11:00 so we went to Chey Blythe's house to look at a cairn which Colin had built for the famous round the world yachtsman. I think you’ll agree that it’s a fantastic piece of art and dry stone walling. Colin has been commissioned to do another two cairns for Chey Blythe.

We met up with the lads at the walling site and did some preparation before myself, Colin and his good lady Jacqui went to meet the BBC Countryfile team and led them to the walling site.

After brief introductions it was straight into filming. It was easy to see why John is such a great broadcaster. His professionalism was so evident as he introduced the program and super star of

the moment, Colin. As the afternoon progressed everyone relaxed and it turned into a very enjoyable afternoon; good company, good fun and good weather which wasn’t forecast! I thought

Colin and Ron did very well on their first TV appearance being amateurs to stage and screen and I think it’ll be a very good program when it is broadcast in the autumn.

All too soon it was over and after a team photograph it was time to depart. My lasting moment of the day was John Craven taking time to look into Jack (Colin’s son) and Aaron’s (Grants grandson) bucket and discuss the contents with them – frogs and toads – which the young lads, being bored and under awed with the proceedings, had collected from the surrounding fields. There’s not many ‘stars’ who would have had time for those lads, never mind the contents of their bucket!

So thanks to one and all for a great day and Mr Craven it was a pleasure to meet you and well worth the 400 mile round trip!

John Craven’s Country File is broadcast on Sunday mornings at 11:00 on BBC1. I’ll let you know when this particular episode is due for broadcasting.

For more information on our dry stone walling and dry stone walling courses go to

www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

or call Les Young on 07952 551025

Beginners/Improvers Course at Silkstone Common

The next Hadrian's Dry Stone Walling Course will take place at Silkstone Common on the 11th and 12th August 2007 - so long as we haven't been washed away by the floods by then! Due to demand we will be running a Beginners and an Improvers course in parallel.

Silkstone Common is situated 5 minutes from junction 37 of the M1 and is also served by a railway station on the Sheffield to Huddersfield line. We are walling in Nabs Wood, which was the scene of the tragic Huskar Pit Disaster where 26 children were drowned, as a tribute and memorial to the children. Everyone who helps with this renovation will have their name displayed on a plaque on the section of wall which they have helped to re-build. You can read more about the Huskar Pit Disaster on this blog site:

http://hadriansdsw.blogspot.com/2007/06/terrible-tradgedy-at-nabs-wood.html

Please refer to our web site (presently undergoing a major makeover!!) for applications forms, terms and conditions, costs and accommodation details

http://www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk


Or contact Les Young on 07952 551025

Attention the British Armed Forces!

Members of the British Armed Forces could be eligible to attend our courses as part of their resettlement package. I am ex Royal and Gurkha Signals myself and I have first hand experience of the difficulties that our armed forces have to go through when their time to leave the Navy, Army or Royal Air Force arrives.

I'm very pleased to say that we have had the pleasure of welcoming serving members of our Armed Forces on our courses, and we look forward to welcoming many more! You should find brochures describing our courses, with course dates, in your Education Centre or Resettlement Centre - if not then contact us and we'll be only too pleased to send you a brochure.

The ancient craft of Dry Stone Walling can be an occupation in itself or can be combined with occupations such as construction or lanscaping or it can be a relaxing hobby! Not only are our walling courses a good way of meeting people from other walks of life, they are also very theraputic, an excellent way to calm stretched nerves, with the end result giving a positive sense of achievement.

For more information check our web site

http://www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk/training.htm

or call Les on 07952 551025.

Terrible Tradgedy at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

I'm not apologising for re-posting this blog which first appeared on this site in January (it was written for the Woodland Trust web site) for this is the main reason for holding Dry Stone Walling Courses at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common i.e. my quest to rewall the whole of the perimeter of the woods as a tribute to the children who died in the Huskar Pit Disaster of 1838.

If you would like to contribute to the rewalling of Nabs Wood then come and join us on a course. Pictures and narratives on the courses can be found further down in this blog site.

Here's a photo of one section of wall which we are working on at the moment.

Course dates at Nabs Wood are:

14/15 July 2007
11/12 August 2007
6/7 October 2008
27/28 October 2007 (hedge laying and walling weekend)









If you would like to join us at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common please fill in the on line booking form at http://www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk/bookingform.htm or call Les on 07952 551025 for further details.

www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

Terrible Tragedy at Nabs Wood

On a bleak day in June 1838 Nabs Wood was about to be written into history books as a tragic chain of events unfolded. In the village of nearby Silkstone Common black smoke rose from the engine powering the winch to the Huskar Pit where many of the local men, women and children worked at least 12 hour stints in the hot, damp and acrid coal seams which ran below the village. Early in the afternoon a storm broke out starting with a rainstorm making a hissing sound as it landed on the engine and then turning into a torrent of rain and hail up to 4 ½ inches in diameter.

The deluge caused havoc flattening crops, smashing windows and dousing the fire fuelling the engine to the winch. Disquiet broke out underground when the miners found that they were without a winch to haul their corves of coal to the surface in exchange for a token from the mine owner which could be converted to goods in the mine owners ‘Tommy shop’. Panic started setting in, especially in the children when they found out that their main way out of the mine via the winch was closed to them.

A group of the children had a bright idea. They would head through the mine for the day hole, a drift entrance to the mine in Nabs Wood. They hurried through the pitch-blackness relying on their base instincts and local knowledge to navigate their way through the rough passages. They went through doors in the passages, usually operated by the escaping children which provided ventilation to the mine. They passed through the final door on their escape, catching a glimpse of light from the entrance ahead of them. At their feet a stream of water flowed past them. They hurried on. They looked up to see a wall of water rushing down the shaft caused by a storm ditch next to the drift entrance bursting its banks due to the sheer volume of rainwater gushing down it. The children turned and ran back down the drift but as they ran they were swept away by the torrent and slammed against the ventilation door the sheer volume of water pinning them to it.

Twenty-six children aged seven to seventeen drowned. The villagers were distraught and in an age when mining accidents were common, this tragedy made the London broadsheets. The newly enthroned Queen Victoria was shocked and the government of the day set up an enquiry, not specifically into the Huskar Pit Disaster but to working conditions in Britain’s factories and mines. This enquiry was chaired by Lord Ashley (later to become Lord Shaftsbury), well known for his emancipated views. In 1842 this enquiry led to the 1842 Factory Act which was the first piece of legislation relating to working conditions in Britain.

Nabs Wood today is owned by the Woodland Trust. The only visible sign of the terrible disaster which took place under its leafy mantle is a monument erected by Silkstone Parish on the 150^th anniversary of the disaster. Much of the woods are as they were 168 years ago – except that the dry stone walls which form the boundary to the woods are in a serious state of disrepair.

Local dry stone waller Les Young volunteered his services to the Trust to repair or rebuild the boundary walls as a tribute to the children who died and to return the walls to their former glory as a living memorial to their memory. After surveys and risk assessments it became apparent that not only would it take an awful lot of time and manpower to complete the project, but it would also be expensive due to the amount of stone needed to rebuild the walls.

Les approached the local landowners who have a vested interest in renovating the perimeter walls to keep their livestock enclosed. He proposed that he hold dry stone walling courses to rebuild the walls thereby speeding up the rebuilding and teaching novices an ancient craft at the same time. The owner of Westfield Park which shares part of the perimeter walls of Nabs Wood embraced this project, and in fact has kindly promised to donate stone to rebuild part of the walls.

The dry stone walling courses will be run from Westfield Park using it’s excellent facilities. The courses are graded as Beginners or Improvers courses and are either a weekend or a week long in duration. If you would like to be part of one of Les’s courses and have the opportunity to rebuild the walls surrounding one of the Trusts woods, help preserve a piece of Britain’s history and learn an ancient craft at the same time then please contact Les at Hadrian’s Dry Stone Walls, whose contact details can be found at or the bottom of this article or at www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk where more details about the course can be found.

For further reading on the Huskar Pit Disaster read The Children of the Dark by Allan Gallop, ISBN 0-7509-3094-2 which is an excellent book.

Post Script by Les Young

Today I have witnessed how this disaster occurred. Over the past week we have had fierce storms with high winds and lashing rain culminating in a corker of a storm last night. This morning Nabs wood resembled a swamp with fallen trees and streams filled to bursting. After climbing over two fallen trees I eventually reached the day hole. The day hole was filled in many years ago and earth piled some 6 metres away from the entrance to form a dyke to protect the day hole from the stream. Normally the stream is a trickle and does not encroach on the dyke. Today there was a foot of water in the ‘crater’ at the entrance to the day hole and on the other side of the protective dyke the water was about 3 foot deep. I now have a clear picture of this volume of water breaching the dyke and crashing down on the day hole. Devastating.

Contact details:

Les Young

07952 551025

email: les@hadriansdrystonewalls.com

Web site: www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk

Silkstone Common Course 19th and 20th May 2007

After an initial 'classroom' session at the Station Inn we were soon hard at it. We continued the wall started by the last course.

Apart from struggling to find large stones suitable for foundation stones the wall was soon under construction.








Like other courses it wasn't long before the lads on the course were laughing and joking.










Richard looks for inspiration from the 'great coat in the sky'



















Distinguished visitors Barry and Chris Heeley from High Hoyland Dry Stone walls dropped in to see how Ben was getting on. And what a co-incidence that we might be going to the Chilli Lodge for a curry after we'd finshed for the day!!

It was a lovely meal and a good laugh.







Day two starts with Hugo joining us to complete his initial training.

















































The lads admire their handicraft as the course nears its end. A nice piece of walling.

Thank you to Richard, Hugo, Ben and David for their company, wit and repartee over the weekend.

Beginners Course at Colden near Hebden Bridge May 2007

I'd been looking forward to holding this course for some time in the beautiful Colden Valley who's scenery is simply stunning.

We had two late cancellations which left us with a very good pupil to teacher ratio of 2:1!

Saturday started cloudy as Steve and Shaun arrived at Riverdene House for the introduction and theoretical session which we always start our courses with.


Before too long we were out on the hill side stripping down a wall belonging to Phil and Helen Speak, two lovely people. As we started to strip out the wall, which was semi demolished, I began to realise that this wasn't just any run of the mill wall, and a faint sensation of panic started to creep in! Not only was the stone in the wall very big, but when we reached the bottom of the wall I began to realise that the foundations were 3 feet (nearly 1 metre) wide and the wall 4 foot from foundations to wall height or 5 feet to the top of the copestones.





I just had enough length on the A frame pole to make it to wall height. Next time I'll have to bring ranging rods or something similar to make sure that there's plenty of height available on the A frames.










As with most courses it wasn't long at all until Stave and Shaun were working well together and enjoying some good conversation and banter. But who couldn't in surroundings such as these?












Foundation stones in, Shaun looks for his next piece of stone.









The New Delight Inn is centre background in this photo, with Riverdene House roof just visible above the wall. Two great places! I enjoyed 5 different real ales over the weekend and some great food at the pub.












Treasure trove! Shaun found this kestrels skull when stripping the wall down. It's amazing what you can find in a wall!









Day one ended on a high with both students saying how much they had enjoyed their day. We left the wall and headed on down the hill to the New Delight for a couple of well earned pints before going our separate ways.

My separate way took me to Theo's Cypriot/Greek restaurant in Hebden Bridge. I've been there before so I was eagerly awaiting this gastronomic delight, and I wasn't to be disappointed! I had dolmades followed by lamb kleftico which I couldn't finish. It was absolutely delicious! So thank you to Theo's chefs and their staff for a wonderful experience.




Sunday started out sunny and very warm despite the weather forecast for heavy and persistant rain. We were all amazed at how red we were from the sun and wind on Saturday.


























The lads were now starting to get their eye in and the wall was making good progress, all things considered.








Just as we were finishing off the rain started - spits and spots to start with but by the time we had cleared up the site and were heading for the pub it was lashing down. Perfect timing!







Thank you Shaun and Steve for your company over the weekend. You did a great job on your first wall!

Thank you to John and Ann at Riverdene house for their hospitality and great breakfasts, to Phil and Helen for their help and co-operation and to the management and staff at the New Delight Inn for a welcoming atmosphere and some great beer!

See you all when we hold the the next course at Colden on 23rd and 24th June.

Steve and Shaun. Great lads!

Comments from the students:

"The course was everything I expected. A very enjoyable weekend. An excellent course. Thank you!"


"The small group size was good and a great venue for holding the course"