ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS
Traditional dry stone walling workshops in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds
Traditional dry stone walling workshops held in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds, focused on practical hands-on learning in small groups.
The workshops are designed to introduce traditional walling techniques at a slower, more considered pace, with an emphasis on understanding stone selection, wall structure, and long-lasting construction methods. Whether attending as a complete beginner or looking to develop existing skills, participants are encouraged to learn through making and careful observation.
Set within the surrounding countryside, the workshops combine practical instruction with an appreciation for the landscapes and traditional craft skills that have shaped dry stone walls for generations.
Traditional craft
Built around traditional craft skills
Richard Gray — known professionally as The Cotswold Waller — founded Hillrise Stonework in 2006 and has spent nearly two decades working with dry stone walling and traditional stone construction across Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds.
Alongside restoration and new walling projects, the workshops were developed as a way to pass on practical skills in a more hands-on and approachable setting. Teaching is centred around small groups, careful instruction, and learning directly through working with stone.
The aim is not simply to build a wall, but to understand the materials, structure, and traditional methods that allow dry stone walls to sit naturally within the surrounding landscape and endure for generations.
YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Taught by Working Wallers
Workshops are taught by Richard Gray and Eric Sainvet — sometimes together, sometimes individually, always in small groups of no more than twelve. Eric brings extensive experience in traditional stone construction and conservation through ES Stonework, alongside Richard’s background as The Cotswold Waller and founder of Hillrise Stonework. Whoever leads your weekend, you’re learning hands-on from a working professional who builds and restores these walls year-round — the teaching, the group size and the standard are the same.
WORKSHOPS
Small group practical learning
Workshops are intentionally kept small to allow time for individual guidance, discussion, and hands-on learning throughout the day. Participants work directly with traditional materials and techniques, learning how dry stone walls are structured, balanced, and built to last.
Held within the Oxfordshire and Cotswold countryside, the sessions are designed to feel practical, relaxed, and approachable — whether attending as a complete beginner or returning to develop existing skills.
Many participants attend with no previous experience and quickly discover the satisfaction of building something carefully by hand.