Darton Carnival 6th July 2008

I was invited to do a demonstration of dry stone walling at the Darton Carnival last weekend. I roped in Barry and Chris Heeley, Max and my eldest daughter Laura.

We had everything arranged and we were set to do our stuff when I got a call from Barry on Saturday telling me that the stone supplier who was going to lend us some stone had let us down. Panic! We made a few calls and eventually found a stone merchant which was open to buy some stone. Some demo it would have been without stone! We hurtled to the stone yard before it closed at lunch and loaded two tonnes of stone onto the pick up and once again everything was ready for the demo the next day.

Sunday was grey and gloomy as we made our way to the ground where the Carnival was being held. There were beer glasses everywhere from the previous days music festival which was apparently very good (our old friends the OFB Band were playing so it must have been!). We had some right fun and games erecting the gazebo but it was just as well we managed because soon after it was up the heavens opened. It wasn’t long before we were joined under our shelter by others who were displaying at the Carnival including a detachment from the Yorkshire Regiment who were hoping to build an assault course for the children (this never happened for safety reasons which was a shame).

We eventually took the plunge and started building our feature in the rain which was a small wall with steps up the side. The gates opened soon after and people started trickling in – much like the rain down my neck! We spoke to lots of nice people and got invited to the Vintage Car Rally at Cannon hall on 27^th July – so we’ll see you there!

Thanks to Barry, Chris, Max and daughter Laura for their help and company through that damp day!

The Demo Team!
L to R: Max, Chris, Me, Laura and Barry

170th Aniversary of the Huskar Pit Disaster

On Friday 4th July we commemorated the 170th Anniversary of the Huskar Pit Disaster where 26 children were drowned.

My vision was to have children from all around the surrounding district involved in project work about the disaster and on the anniversary, to have them place time capsules in the walls we are repairing at Nabs Wood and have the children wall them in for posterity. Take up for this 'vision' was limited to say the least but at one school, Kirk Baulk of Hoyland, Barnsley shared my vision. Their teachers, Mr Wilson and Miss Linsley, spend some considerable time and effort with their classes producing projects about themselves and the disaster.



The result was that on Friday afternoon we had the pleasure of welcoming 6 pupils and their teachers to Nabs Wood. We were very fortunate in that Alan Gallop, author of Children of the Dark had very kindly offered to speak to us about what happened on that terrible day. His narration of events held us spellbound and I certainly had a lump in my throat as Alan told us the details of what happened. I think part of the atmosphere was that we were at the site of the day hole where the children were drowned just feet from where we were standing and almost 170 years to the minute when the disaster occurred.

Alan Gallop, author of Children of the Dark

Alan had brought along some flowers and he gave one to each of the children and a few of us adults. We let the flowers fall into the day hole as an act of remembrance to those poor children and their families, who must have been devastated.

This lady is a direct descendant of Sarah Newton who was killed 170 years ago

The serious side of the day over, we went to the walls and with a little bit of blurb and instruction from myself the youngsters were soon in full flow placing their time capsules into the wall and putting stone into the wall to bury their work for future generations to find. I had to ask Mr Wilson if he'd been giving these lads and lasses dry stone walling lessons on the side such was the standard of their work!









Unfortunately their day came swiftly to a close and all too soon we had to say goodbye.

L to R: Neil Wilson (Head of History), Joseph Bradley, Lucy Webster, Tom Slack, Rebecca Jones, Lauren Fletcher, Michael Barrow and Gemma Linsley (Class Teacher)

I would like to thank the pupils of Kirk Baulk School, those who were lucky enough to visit the woods and those who couldn't, for making my vision a reality and of course to their teachers Neil Wilson and Gemma Linsley without who's enthusiasm and hard work none of this would have happened. A really nice bunch of folk. Also to Barry and Chris Heeley of High Hoyland Dry Stone Walls who gave up their day to help us on this special day. Last but not least, a very special thanks to Alan Gallop who also gave his time to paint a picture in words of that terrible day.



P.S. I went to see 'Profit and Loss' a play performed by local people at Silkstone Paris Church on Friday evening which was about the Huskar Pit Disaster. It was an excellent performance very well acted, some of whom were relatives of those who died all those years ago. The evening came to a close with the children who played the 26 children who died laying flowers on the monument in the church graveyard. Very moving.

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Course at Nabs Wood 14th-15th June 2008

The second dry stone walling course of the year in Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common took place on 14^th and 15^th June.

The course comprised of Beginners and Improvers returning to hone their skills.

After the initial theory session in The Station Inn and copious amounts of tea and coffee served up by landlords Mark and Julie, we travelled the short distance to Nabs Wood.

David Compton from Westfield Equestrian Centre and myself had moved 10 tonnes of stone (kindly donated by Stuart Olney of T S Booker) to the walling site for the students to build with. I suppose it was a bit of a coincidence that Stuart was doing an Improvers Course using stone which he had donated!

We achieved another first this weekend! We had our first Australian on the course – Lisa, and a lovely lady she is too!

Barry soon got into his stride trying out all kinds of resting places until he found the most comfortable tree in the wood to perform his Yogi Bear impression!

Doug had travelled from Norfolk to take part in the Improvers Course staying at Wentworth Castle, and very nice it was to see him again.

We retired to the Station Inn after a hard days walling and we were joined by several students from previous courses. After some re-hydration we wended our way to the Chilli Lodge for a smashing meal, great company and a good laugh!

Several of the students were suffering from aches and pains as we started the second day. That didn’t stop them from getting stuck in with their walling

Barry even found time to teach Chris his method of performing horizontal walling!

Another great course with smashing people and even the rain held off until we were safely installed in the Station Inn for a course debrief!

Grant and Stuart with their cheek end

Doug with his cheek end

Beginners for L to R: Paul, Chris, Mark, Paul and Lisa

The whole course, back L to R Chris, Mark, Paul, Lisa, Stuart and Grant

Front L to R: Doug, Paul and Barry

Thanks to all the students for making it a great weekend. To Barry for his assistance, to Stuart and David for their stone donations and my wife for mowing the lawn while I was enjoying myself!

Dry Stone Walling Course Dates and Venues for 2008

Here are the remaining dates and locations for our Dry Stone Walling Courses during 2008. There will be other courses scheduled to cope with demand so please keep your eye on this site and also at www.hadriansdrystonewalls.co.uk/courses/index.php.

Here we go then:


14/15 June 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

12/13 July 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

21/25 July 2008 Special Features at the Pennine Camphill Community, Wakefield

9/10 August 2008 Beginnersand Improvers at Colden near Hebden Bridge

13/14 September 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common

11/12 October 2008 Beginners and Improvers at Nabs Wood, Silkstone Common



For further details please see our web site or better still call Les Young on +44 (0)7952 551025.

Dry Stone Walling Course at Hebden Bridge 10th & 11th May 2008

We’ve just had a cracking weekend at Colden near Hebden Bridge! The weather was hot, the scenery stunning and the students a great set of lads.

Stripping out the wall was hot work and once I got the stove working, several cups of tea were drunk while I watched the course hard at work!

Louis was the first American to attend one of our courses (and hopefully he won’t be the last!), and a very nice man he is too! We’re hoping to welcome Louis and his grandsons back on a course in the future.

We ended day one as the thunder rumbled away in the distance, threatening a downpour to spoil a beautiful day.

Day two was even hotter than the Saturday. As an instructor I try to ensure that I don’t break into a sweat – I like my students to do the sweating, but there was no way of avoiding it! Good job most of us had sun cream on. In fact Alan looked decidedly anaemic with his factor 50 plastic skin in a bottle! A very sensible precaution.

Pete, who is shortly to retire from the Army (The Rifles), kept a watchful eye on young Matt to make sure he wasn’t slacking as the wall progressed, and in return, Matt gave back as good as he got!

Martin found the transition from Dentist to weekend waller a tiring one! I was tired watching him break stone after stone for heartings! (Heartings are the little stones which go into the middle of a dry stone wall).

L to R: Pete, Rob, Louis, Martin, Alan and Matt

All in all they did a smashing job which was difficult for beginners due to the large, heavy and lumpy stone. I was pleased with the standard of the job they had made, as were Helen and Phil on whose walls we were training. So well done to one and all and I look forward to your company on one of our Improvers Courses!