The Stone Trust

06/20/2026

Only a Few Weeks Left to Register for July Workshops

The Stone Trust is offering a number of workshops at three different sites in July, including New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Barre, VT. Choose from a variety of options, including intro workshops, stone shaping, and retaining wall workshops. Don't miss your chance to learn some new skills for your summer projects.

See more:

July Mini-Medley Weekend in New Hampshire 1-Day Intro July 10 Stone Shaping July 11 Retaining Wall July 12 Stone Shaping in Minnesota Stone Shaping July 11 2-Day Intro in Barre, VT 2-Day Introd…

06/18/2026

Thank you so much for hosting us on your amazing site Northland Landscape Supply & Nursery! Everyone had a great time at the 2-Day Intro and Cheek Rebuild last weekend and we are excited to host a Stone Shaping workshop on July 11th: https://thestonetrust.org/workshops/2-50-intro-to-stone-shaping-071126-mn/

06/17/2026

How-To Book Pack

This is a new version of the Stone Trust How-To Book Pack with a new booklet from the DSWA. Check out the three books below:

Dry Stone Walling: A Practical Handbook by Alan Brooks & Sean Adcock

Written by Alan Brooks and Sean Adcock this is the fourth edition of this extensive handbook on dry stone walling. Often referred to as the “bible” by wallers this handbook covers every topic related to proper dry stone walling. Se

Dry Stone Walling: Techniques & Traditions by DSWA-GB

This book is an approachable and fascinating look at the traditional craft of dry stone walling. Written in plain language, it offers a practical guide to the techniques used in different parts of the country and gives background detail which explains the simple principles involved and shows why walls have developed in their own characteristic ways. It provides and excellent mix of basic how-to information, variations from around the UK, and historical information. It also includes an appendix with information on the dry stone wall certification program. Published 2004 by The Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain.

Building & Repairing Dry Stone Walls by Richard Tufnell, published by the DSWA-GB

This popular publication gives basic information on construction of dry stone walls (double-style). Written as a beginner’s guide, useful to all and an inexpensive “starter” book.

https://thestonetrust.org/store/the-how-to-set-book-pack/

06/14/2026

A Weekend of Workshops Adds a New Wall to the Stone Trust Center

Almost two dozen wallers came to the Stone Trust Center in May for a 2-Day Introduction to Dry Stone Walling and a Cheek Rebuild Workshop. These wallers were looking to learn the basics of dry stone walling as it applies to the middle of a wall, or improve their skills at the ends of the wall. As instructor, Victoria Merriman said, “This class was notable in a number of ways!”

This weekend was a little different than other Intro workshops and Cheek Rebuilds because participants had the chance to build a new training wall from scratch, working out of piles of unsorted stone and sorting along the way. This is more of a “real world” experience for the many who were hoping to do something with piles of stone on their property. On Sunday people had the opportunity to switch to the new training wall with unsorted stone for more of a challenge, or switch to the pre-sorted area for less challenge. So the groups on each wall changed and people got to try walling over other people’s work. Many intro wallers chose to try out some stone shaping, as we had to make both copes and throughstones for the new wall. People shaped copes with brick hammers and chisels, and got to split granite using feathers and wedges.

Read more: https://thestonetrust.org/may-intro-cheek-051626/

06/13/2026

Check Out July Workshops

Have a free weekend this July to learn a new skill? July offers a variety of options, including intro workshops, stone, shaping, and retaining wall workshops.

See more: https://thestonetrust.org/july-workshops-2026/

06/12/2026

New T-shirts are on the way! Keep an eye on our store and social media over the next couple of weeks to get first dibs. This more modern design is a new way to show off your support for The Stone Trust, whether you get one online from our store or at a workshop.

You can grab one of our current t-shirts here while they last: https://thestonetrust.org/store/stone-trust-t-shirt/

06/07/2026

July 2-Day Intro Workshop in Barre, VT

Come up to Barre, VT to the Vermont Granite Museum on July 18-19 for a 2-Day Introduction to Dry Stone Walling. Two days gives you more time to practice and the learn the five basic principles of dry stone walling.

See more: https://thestonetrust.org/workshops/1-20-2-day-intro-071826-barre-vt/

06/06/2026

July Mini-Medley Weekend in NH

Come out to The Stone Trust NH for a mini-medley weekend of workshops, including a 1-Day Intro, Stone Shaping, and Retaining Walls. The medley weekends are designed to group multiple workshops together to allow wallers to learn more in a shorter time. Coming to these workshops July 10-12th allows you to learn three new skills in three days, Friday-Sunday.

See more: https://thestonetrust.org/workshop/upcoming-workshops/

06/05/2026

The Science of Dry Stone Walling, Part 1
Written by Iain Richardson

Stone is elastic. Yes, it’s true; an established scientific fact. When you stand on a stone it compresses, i.e. it’s molecules move closer together. When you get off the stone it expands back to its original size immediately. The amount it strains (deflects) is proportional to the amount of stress (your weight) applied. Therefore, stone is an elastic material!

So, why am I telling you this? Well, having forsaken the arduous world of dry stone walling for the easy life at University and, being part way through a BSc, I decided it was time to argue the case for a scientific approach to dry stone walling. We often hear about the ‘art’ of walling and indeed, as with most things, there is an ‘art’ to it. the art lies in developing an ‘eye’ for stone and creatively solving problems by intuitive selection of the right stone for the job. You could argue that this is merely the result of much previous practice and applied thought. From my observations the better wallers are those who think about what they re doing and constantly analyse the result, rather than simply battering away, working ‘from the shoulders down’.

Read more: https://thestonetrust.org/the-science-of-dry-stone-walling-part-1/