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Keeping rural skills alive in Cumbria
Dry stone walls are built without mortar or cement, which allows the structure to settle naturally and resist frost damage. The DSWA is a charity that works to advance education in the craft and heritage of dry stone walling for the public benefit. We have 18 Branches across Great Britain and we run training courses for beginners and those wanting to pursue our certification scheme for qualifications.
It is important to keep this heritage skill alive to ensure that the iconic tapestry of rural Cumbria continues for future generations. Dry stone walls provide benefits for wildlife and flora as well as a plethora of benefits such as water management and fire breaks.
We actively work to encourage younger generations into the heritage craft. This includes running bursary schemes and apprenticeships.
A challenge we face is that the national state of dry stone walls is very poor with many falling into disrepair. A barrier for agricultural land is that government funding for dry stone walling is not sufficient to enable repairs. There is also an underappreciation of the benefits that come with dry stone walling, with many people not understanding the impacts a dry stone wall can have.
A wider appreciation of dry stone walling needs to occur with an understanding of why they are important and the benefits they bring.
If you enjoy working outdoors, an apprenticeship in drystone walling could be for you.
Visit the Dry Stone Walling Association to find out more.
Interested in learning more about heritage crafts in Cumbria? Read the full article.
