Quality Dry Stone Walling – Heritage Skills for the Environment
Walling Gallery
I work solo as a waller from my base in Cardiff, Wales. Below is a selection of my work.
Member of The Guild of Master craftsmen
2022
Ready for Remembrance Day – CoityFalling Garden walls to be repaired – “magnificent” private client WhitchurchA wonderful opportunity to take on a transformational job dry stone walling 25m of external wall to sensational pillared gates and a beautiful inner conversion of rough grass to a parking area dry stone walled with elegant flat coping. Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. An innocent enough looking rip in the wall one afternoon – a complete collapse followed the next day. This is an example of a dangerous earlier repair, built with a faulty running join. I have rebuilt the section tied into the old wall with plenty of throughs. Ogmore by Sea – a beautiful location – the sheep were climbing the wall. Raised by half a metre using Perbeck stone to match the local Sutton stone (no longer quarried (from RP Williams)
A rough and potentially dangerous wall taken down and rebuilt. Great to do dry stone walling in the heart of Pontcanna Cardiff – Summer 2022
Dry stone wall complete rebuild in Cwmcarn below Forest Drive June 2022
East Lane – Margam Deer Park – Repairing more storm damage – the beech tree fell and flattened the wall just missing a pedestrian – the Park Rangers arrived and when being cleared the beech tree righted itself – extraordinary.
Complete rebuild with lime mortar – Victoria Park, Cardiff
Lime mortar restoration St Margaret’s churchyard, Coity, Bridgend – storm damage Spring 2022
Cowbridge – restoration and coping on a fallen garden wall
Rhoose, Port Road, curved dry stone farm entrance damaged by an articulated lorry.Margam Park, South Wales, damage from 90 mile winds courtesy of storm Dudley – or was it Eileen – repaired, drystone wall using existing stone. March 202
Repair to Holy Trinity Llandow Church wall – lime mortar – February 2022
‘Thank you for the work. It’s fab and I’m sure we will be in touch for any further repairs needed’ – Parish Church Warden
2021
Last of 2021 – a tricky repair in the wet – up on the mountain at Margam Deer Park – this gap to the outside world was regularly used by deer‘Our lovely new wall’ transforming the look of front gardens can really give a lift. Love doing these.
Llandow October 2021- Completed exterior walls, curves and letterbox. Pillars by Anthony – Abbey Masonry – Master Craftsman – Crosshands, Llanelli – A transformation from earlier !
Work in progress August 2021 Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales [20 tons of limestone from Stalbridge Stone quarry – a local geological seam but the other side of the Severn Estuary]
Ongoing work – A couple of repairs at Margam – Deer park walls October 2021.Small garden feature – Rudry, Newport – Stone from StalbridgeSometimes a small job, removing an eyesore offers a deal of pleasure – Llandaff Cardiff – August 2021Deer proofing walls – Margam Deer Park project – South Wales – July 2021 – ‘Top man when ever u can fitit in lovely job fair play to you mate’ Margam Deer Park Ranger; ‘Thanks for all your work. Everyone who sees it is very complimentary.’ Manager Margam Park – NPTBCAll the company you need – Margam Deer Park project Summer 2021Llandaff 1/3 Rebuild and replace red sandstone copers – from Home of Stone, Forest of Dean 2/3 Neighbour’s – rake out and point done by my able apprentice Ellie. Llandaff 3/3 Nearby – River Pebble repair, rebuild and point after tree removal.
3 Llandaff jobs almost next door and on the street ‘Thanks… Looks just as we hoped’ ‘The wall looks great’ David – Karen – Jeanette private clients Llandaff.
Margam Deer Park wall – East Lane – a lovely job to do ‘Thanks for this. Looks great.’ Margam Deer Park project Nptcbc #drystonewalling. #heritage #margampark #heritage March 2021Plasturton Avenue – Cardiff – repair fallen and replace coping’ ‘Thanks for doing lovely job. ‘ Simon and Catherine – private clientA quick small garden repair in central Cardiff 20m dry stone wall disguising the base of steel posts – I’m about done – can’t wait to see what the customer does next stage! Caerphilly – South Wales
A few days work restoring ancient deer Park walls at Margam Country Park – East Lane – using fallen stone – plenty more to do! This stretch awaiting coping.
‘Looking lovely – fair play’ Margam Country Park staff.
Repair and rebuild a 1.9m high wall using existing stone (mainly river pebbles) using a lime mortar mix. Happy wet, snowy January 2021!
Hi Richard thanks for a great job, we are very pleased , I will try and leave a review on yell for you Kind Regards Private client – Kevin & Jane
Further work on a Dr William Price roundhouse garden dry stone walling restoration project in progress 2020-21Original foundation raised to a finished 20m dry stone boundary wall for a farmhouse drive in CastletonMortared century old Cardiff city garden wall repair – lime mortar restoration ‘Thanks it was a delight’ Private client
Hillside garden retaining wall before repair and repair with new steps up to the ‘wilderness’ Cymmer – ‘Thank you. Love the wall and steps… birds very happy you’ve finished :-)’ Private client Gail – Oct 2020
Birchwood Road, Birchgrove Cardiff – curved entry, repair and tidy to the low garden wall on the road… ‘Thanks once again for the wonderful job.’
Pwllmelin Road Llandaff After
Pwllmelin Road Llandaff After
Pwllmelin Road Llandaff BeforePwllmelin Road Llandaff Before
Take down thirty year old low wall and replace with a substantially higher wall in the Llandaff style using new stone sourced from R P Williams
Garden of Dr William Price Round House Pontypridd before and after …Garden of Dr William Price Round House Pontypridd after clearance, repair and new steps dry stone build 2020 Awaiting new gates…Caerphilly mountain – Wenallt – disused entrance transformed – dry stone using existing stone – lime mortared entry on the road – just waiting new gates…2020 BeforeAfterCathays, Cardiff – rebuilt whole wall using a lime mortar, reclaimed stone & paving from RP Williams, Pencoed – Private Garden (its an inflatable dinghy stored in the next door garden!)2020 – a quick repairAnd after – all neat and tidyA Cathedral Road garden. Another repair in a day restoring an existing wall with new dry stone coping.2020 – a dangerous wall After – this side…Llandaff North repaired garden wall using existing stone, Llandaff style, using a lime mortar2020Playing away in Gloucestershire repairing a Cotswold dry stone retaining wall brought down in the storms. A good start to full time walling. 20m dry stone garden wall built using recycled stone donated by RP Williams A lovely opportunity for a university friend – building a new end of garden dry stone wall high up in the Heads of the Valleys.Retaining Wall dry stone retaining wall repair above the road to Maesteg with an enthusiastic helper! Base for saving hedgehogs. Splott – Central Cardiff – Transforming a back yard and lean-to garage to a walled garden with a raised pond and arboured seat ready to be lawned. A lovely opportunity for a grateful family!
Volunteering – Dyrham Park National Trust, dry stone wall around the deer park. An extensive repair completed by my Monday team includes a small return to protect the root system of this beautiful ancient oak. Capping stones required to finish!
A dry stone repair for a friend – 100 year old garden wall in Cardiff using original stone ‘Amazing, thanks’ John, Pontcanna
Learning a trade – Cwm Ogwr Forest wall – 100 metres dry stone boundary wall repaired spring and summerDownOn the wayUpThe reverse side – traditional stone against an astro-turf lawn!Central Cardiff traditional garden wall rebuilt with bespoke finish for each sideWall down – damaged by large bramble & ivyWall rebuilt – using existing stoneRebuilt garden wall in Pontcanna, Cardiff, using conservation standard black lime mortar
Rebuilt dry stone retaining wallmaking an attractive natural stone feature‘Thanks so much for the quality work that you did. We appreciate the fact that you did more than just the dry stone element’ (Lynn)BeforeAfterFuture work to be done!Cwmogwr Forest
Llanisien a traditional garden stone wall – a pre Xmas project before the guests arrived!
‘We were absolutely delighted with the work carried out by Richard. He worked methodically and thoroughly and our garden was transformed. The dry stone wall looks so much better than wood fencing or concrete walls!’ (Private clients Elisabeth and Roger – 2019)
Cwmogwr Forest phase II north – first 10m including a ‘smoot’. ‘Excellent work – very happy’ – owner John Williams
National Trust – Deer Park outer wall to public road Sandy Lane Dyrham Park – mortared coping stones required to finish.
Rebuilding on roadside of Sandy Lane for the National Trust, Dyrham Park
Cwmogwr Forest Wall pre
And rebuilt Phase I
Restoring forest walls in the Ogmore Valley – copes to follow
Above Newbridge with Ken
Building with new locally sourced stone
Working with Ken Young high above Newbridge – thank you Ken!
Working above Aberfan with the South Wales Dry Stone Walling association
My first cheekend in tight space in Derbyshire – with brilliant, generous John Broadhead – Ox Stonecraft, thanks for your time and raising my game – a rapid acceleration in skills
Overhanding skills with Ken Young – there’s a deep lane behind the wall.
National Trust Volunteer Rangers – Dry Stone Waller in Dyrham Park – (the only place I have seen stone sorted quite like this) working with John, Dave and Alan.
Another cheekend in Burford working with Kath Wright – star!
Cotswold Way
Working with Winchcombe school students for Cotswald Conservation Board. Novice students stripped out to foundation and rebuilt the wall with my support. Brilliant work guys!
Always beautiful locations – gapping with a view to the Skirrid and to the Bristol ChannelWorking with Ken Young – Ken’s better side – a project below Twmbarlwm – Newport
They stole some tools! Why?
Before
After
Working solo in Ogmore Valley – December 2018 – 20 metres down – 80 metres to goDSWA Level 2 intermediate qualification day – Strip down and rebuild a cheek-end + 2.5 metres of wall in 7.5 hours of driving rain on the Brecon Beacons – 5 tons of stone shifted and one knackered happy individual.
lovely to see pics of your other work in some fab places, Richard. As the householder where you “Rebuilt garden wall in Pontcanna, Cardiff, using conservation standard black lime mortar”, I just wanted to comment on what a great job you did! Much appreciated!
Hi Rob – Thanks for arranging for me to look at the job – I don’t seem to have your correct email = please sent to richard.staniforth@ntlworld.com
Best Richard S
Great work. I will recommend our neighbours contact you. Their old radyr stone wall collapsed in the storm last week – early victorian garden wall in Pontcanna
Iona
PS My other half has just finished building a garden pond. We have several bags of bits of slate – off cuts, not chippings. Could you use them at all?
Thanks for the recommendation Iona. And thanks for the slate offer – sadly I will decline as I currently lack storage space. Hope the pond turned out well. I’m a big fan for having them in a garden.
Great work on our boundary wall in Radyr in Jan/Feb 2021. Excellent work in some pretty apalling weather. It looks beautiful. We will look at it every day from our kitchen.
Cwmogwr Forest phase II north – first 10m including a ‘smoot’. ‘Excellent work – very happy’ – owner John Williams
Working with Ken Young – Ken’s better side – a project below Twmbarlwm – Newport
DSWA Level 2 intermediate qualification day – Strip down and rebuild a cheek-end + 2.5 metres of wall in 7.5 hours of driving rain on the Brecon Beacons – 5 tons of stone shifted and one knackered happy individual.
Richard Staniforth Dry Stone Waller & Garden Waller 
Well done. Great piccies. A house comes next? J
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like some real good work there Richard
LikeLiked by 1 person
lovely to see pics of your other work in some fab places, Richard. As the householder where you “Rebuilt garden wall in Pontcanna, Cardiff, using conservation standard black lime mortar”, I just wanted to comment on what a great job you did! Much appreciated!
LikeLike
Beautiful craft fantastic pictures
LikeLike
Hi Rob – Thanks for arranging for me to look at the job – I don’t seem to have your correct email = please sent to richard.staniforth@ntlworld.com
Best Richard S
LikeLike
Great work. I will recommend our neighbours contact you. Their old radyr stone wall collapsed in the storm last week – early victorian garden wall in Pontcanna
Iona
PS My other half has just finished building a garden pond. We have several bags of bits of slate – off cuts, not chippings. Could you use them at all?
LikeLike
Thanks for the recommendation Iona. And thanks for the slate offer – sadly I will decline as I currently lack storage space. Hope the pond turned out well. I’m a big fan for having them in a garden.
LikeLike
Great work on our boundary wall in Radyr in Jan/Feb 2021. Excellent work in some pretty apalling weather. It looks beautiful. We will look at it every day from our kitchen.
LikeLike
You’re a wonder x
LikeLike
Hi
I have a stone garden wall that has partially collapsed. It needs fixing or making safe.
Could I get a quote
LikeLike