You have likely seen pictures of freestanding walls spreading across the hills of Yorkshire, and this certainly is the most familiar image of dry stone for many. However, few of us realise the long history of dry stone construction, stretching back thousands of years to some of the most famous places on earth. From these examples we can see today the efficacy and beauty of the building techniques used by traditional craftspeople.
From the Neolithic town of Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands, Peruvian temples of the Inca, and of course to the oldest recorded stone constructions by First Nations peoples here in Australia at Brewarrina, dry stone techniques have stood the test of time and continue to be used to this date to build strong, long-lasting walls, buildings and features. These amazing monuments are a testament to the beauty of the craft and enable us in the modern day to maintain connection with the story of these places.
So why is dry stone construction so effective? We’ve been taught that in order to make a stable structure, mortar must be used, but the use of mortars , restricts the ability of a wall to move with temperature, moisture or the land itself, as well as restricting natural drainage. By relying on mortar, we paradoxically introduce several weaknesses that are exploited by the elements, resulting in cracking in joints, and loosening of the stones.
Dry stone works entirely in harmony with nature. It shifts and moves against itself, supported only by gravity and the friction between stones. Through reliance solely on solid stone, a structure doesn’t suffer nearly as much from pernicious weathering of rain and swings in temperature. It drains rainwater, and allows ground surface water to pass through without erosion of mortar . It isn’t a rigid, static thing, but rather a living, breathing part of the environment.
This makes dry stone ideal for structural free standing and retaining walls that must allow water to move across the landscape without interference.
This is why we choose dry stone.
For lots more information on the history of dry stone construction, head to the DWSA (UK) page.
