Drystone Wallers

based in West Yorkshire

About Us

We are a group of full-time professional dry stone wallers who with our full team of craftsmen have over 150 years of experience and expertise to draw upon. We are great believers in team work and the efficiency of labours this brings about. We work quickly and efficiently and always carry out all work to the highest standard, as every piece of our work reflects and represents us.  We never compromise on the quality of craftsmanship. We are proud to say that over the many years we have been working we have never had an unhappy customer.

DSWA Pinnacle Award presentation

DSWA Pinnacle Award presentation at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Our team is very proud to have received two pinnacle awards over the years, which is the highest accolade possible as a dry stone waller. only one award can be presented each year and then only if a project is deemed to be, ‘an outstanding example of its type, built to the highest standards of craftsmanship’. to date only seven pinnacle awards have been awarded since the D.S.W.A’s founding in 1968.

 

  • All members of the team have public liability insurance for £5,000,000.
  • At least 2 members at any one time have up to date First Aid certificates.
  • We have the necessary training and sign-age to carry out any roadside work required and also hold the government endorsed C.S.C.S Health Safety and Environment test allowing us to work on major construction sites.
  • Qualified specialists in the application of traditional Lime-mortar

 

Testimonials

We had a large piece of wall collapse, about 8 metres long, 2 metres high.

As soon as Tim Harwood saw it he explained in detail the reasons for the fall and what would be necessary to rebuild it in a safer manner.  I knew immediately that here was somebody who could do it.  That is confidence.

There were half a dozen quotations and his was at the top of the lower half.  He stated that work could start in about 5 weeks and so it did.  That is reliability.

His team arrived promptly on the Monday morning and started working closely together.  They got on very well with the job, any hold ups being due to the weather. It was finished in 6 working days and all left in excellent order, everything neat and tidy.

A fantastic job, well organised and with superb craftsmanship.   We could not have made a better choice. Many thanks!!

Mr Davy,  Leeds, Summer 2016

“Thank you, you’ve done an excellent job, we’re both very pleased / impressed.  It’s even better than we imagined it would look.  Thanks to you and all the guys for all the hard work and attention to detail.” ~ Rob & Hayley, Headingley, August 2014

“My wife & I firmly believe that the standard of work undertaken by Tim and his team is excellent.” ~ Mr Chester, Oakwood, January 2015

 

Our work

Some major works we have undertaken (also great places to visit!) –

Projects for the National Trust and English Heritage, including:

At Wentworth and Stainborough Castle

  • restoring one of the country’s oldest ha-ha walls
  • building and designing a new bridge
  • training volunteers in the ancient craft of dry stone walling
  • rebuilding walls containing greater crested newts, grass snakes and badger sets under licence

At the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

  • rebuilding the lakeside wall (in the lake!)
  • restoring the water outlets, allowing fresh river water to flow into the lake
  • building a working sheep fold exhibit for the artist Andy Goldsworthy 

The Shibden Project

All members of the team have put many (voluntary) hours into this project, which includes:

  • Every type of stone found within the uplands of yorkshire collected in one place and walled in its own individual style
  • Many features including smoots, arches, seats, styles, pillars, corners, gates and a sheepfold.
  • a full size replica shepherds hut with doorway and window, internal bed, alcoves, carvings and a completely dry stone corbled roof.

 

Some of the councils we have worked alongside:

  • Oldham, including repairing hundreds of metres of roadside wall
  • Calderdale, including rebuilding a boundary wall for Siddal school/ Backhold Farm
  • Leeds, including working at the moravian community in pudsey with many listed buildings
  • Barnsley, Bradford and Wakefield

and  recently a feature seat for the Stanza Stones project part of the Cultural Olympiad.