Pete Maynard Stonework

04/10/2025

Some photos of the weekend walling course at Cropper Fold Farm held by the Yorkshire Guild of Dry Stone Wallers showing the build from beginning to end.

04/10/2025

22/09/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO5WgqNiMNG/?igsh=MTl6cTdmeXJjbnZqcQ==

04/09/2025

We've had to abandon any more walling up on the moor due to the moorland widfire which is still burning underground in the peat and flaring up in hot spots. My walling buddy, Derek Thompson, who has been in the thick of it fighting the fire for the last few weeks was able to take a couple of days off from firefighting ( although he was still on standby). So we decided to come down to the village of Cloughton and get on with a walling job for His Majesty King Charles. It was smokey when I left Ravenscar this morning but fortunately no smoke in Cloughton. Managed to complete the first section of a partial re-build of a rather poorly drystone wall.

02/09/2025

Trimming up the toppers. To trim or not to trim? Just occasionally I do trim the odd topper if I feel that it looks out of place. More often than not I don't. Usually the toppers or coping stones are the most weathered stones in a dry stone wall. They often have the most beautiful patina and colourful lichen growing on them. You can see from studying them that they have lived a life. It's a shame to touch them. Where I can I will trim the bottom of the topper if it is sticking up too much so as to preserve the beautiful top. However you have to be very careful. Generally the bottom of the coping is thicker than the top and this makes it harder to trim . The last thing you want to risk is breaking the coping because they are usually in short supply. Putting the toppers on the rebuilt wall is one of my favourite tasks. It's like putting the icing on the cake!

29/08/2025

We can all help the incredible community effort by our local farmers, gamekeepers and other volunteers by supporting them financially to keep going. The fuel alone for all the tractors is costing several thousands of pounds. Let's show our support and gratitude to our local heroes.

Iʼm raising money to For the fire fighters and farmers and other helpers to buy them drinks snacks ect Thanks so much the money has started to be used on fuel!. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.

29/08/2025

A fundraiser to support firefighters, farmers and gamekeepers has raised more than £20,000.

Read more here: https://bbc.in/4oW2Ndj

26/08/2025

26/08/2025

26/08/2025

A few photos and a couple of videos of my journey home this evening between 7.15 and 7.40pm. First video is from Staintondale near the old village school. The last photo is when I got home looking over the roof of our garage towards the fire. The latest information I have is that the fire has jumped across the A171 main road between Scarborough and Whitby by the turnoff to Sneaton and Ruswarp and is now heading for Robin Hoods Bay. The road down to Bay via Sledgates is now closed and local farmers working with the fire service are cutting a firebreak to try and stop the fire going down Sledgates into Bay. Ravenscar is engulfed in very acrid smoke. Sitting it out in the house with all the windows closed. It was only yesterday that I was walling on the Sneaton Road at Souls Grave Farm just next to the Potash Mine. This morning the farm and the mine were evacuated and the road closed! I can't thank enough all the firefighters, local farmers and gamekeepers who are fighting this fire. Sadly we know only too well what it is like to have your house burnt down to the ground when we had a house fire many years ago. Fortunately at the time my wife Sally acted very quickly and got both our very young daughters out and herself to safety. I was travelling to York at the time and only got the news when I arrived at my appointment in York. We count our blessings every day. I just pray that everyone keeps safe. 🙏