AONB Planning Advice Cotswolds Conservation Board

The Cotswold Dry Stone Wall Specification

This note is issued by the Cotswolds Conservation Board as guidance for local planning authorities
and developers.

The guidance provided is not practical instruction as to how to build a wall, but rather suggests the
details that should be stated when approval is required for the specification of a Cotswold dry stone
wall required to be built as a condition of a planning consent. Specifications should be drawn up by
taking into account the local distinctiveness of the walls within the immediate vicinity of the site
in question.

Dry stone walling is a skilled craft and should not be attempted by inexperienced labour.

Initial considerations dimension is normally approx. 400-500mm. The required

The wall to be built must correspond as far as possible with batter, top width and height should be stated in the
the characteristic style of adjacent walls, or walls within the specification.
area. Important characteristics to consider are: [see diagrams of different wall types]

■ stone type and colour

■ coursed or random build Foundations
■ wall coping etc. The trench should be 10-20cm. deep, depending on the
ground. The required depth should be stated in the
By taking these issues into account the local distinctiveness of specification.
walling across the Cotswolds can be retained.When rebuilding
an old wall, every effort should be made to use the existing Large stones should be used and placed against the sides
stone; conserving lichens and mosses as far as is practicable. of the trench achieving a level top. Stones should be placed
New stone should be sourced from local quarries and match with their length running across the width of the wall.
in size, colour and thickness according to the local style. There should be no movement of these stones.
Cropped stone as used for buildings is not appropriate for
building a dry stone wall.
Pinning stones
Subject to taking account of local circumstances the finished
The specification should include reference to the use of
wall should normally be straight and true along its length
pinning stones.
with a good batter*, with no waviness, bulges or overhangs.
Curved walls and walls on undulating ground should follow These are wedge- shaped stones that are used to pack under
the contour of the land and adjacent paths or roads. the back edges of building stones to create a small degree
of fall towards the outer face of the wall [nominal 1 in 15].
When the wall is to be built on a slope greater than 20%
This ensures that water is shed from the wall to prevent frost
the courses should normally be laid horizontally. Thus
damage to the limestone.
building should commence from the lowest section of the
wall with horizontal foundation trenches being dug as the
wall progresses up the slope.
Packing or filling stones
The specification should include reference to the use of
Dimensions packing or filling stones.

Most Cotswold dry stone walls are built using batter frames These should be as large as possible to fill the gaps between
as illustrated [diagram A] This wedge shape not only gives and under building stones, especially in the foundations.
the wall stability, but ensures that water is shed away from Size will decrease as the wall progresses and gaps become
the wall. The degree of batter depends upon the height of smaller. Stone chippings, scalpings or pea gravel should
the wall and can vary from 1:9 to 1:12. Finished top width never be used as these will not provide the solidity required
for supporting the building stones.

* a batter is the slope of the outer face of the wall that slopes
upwards and backwards
AONB Planning Advice Cotswolds Conservation Board

The Cotswold Dry Stone Wall Specification

Building stones Concrete and mortar

The specification shall include reference to the method of Concrete can be specified for foundations where large stones
using building stones. are unavailable or the ground does not provide a firm and
solid base.
Whether old or new stone is being used, stones should be
selected so that the larger stones are used in the lower However, this should not be seen as a cheaper or easier
courses, gradually decreasing in thickness as the wall method of wall building as the main advantage of a true dry
progresses. Stones should be dressed so that a face and stone wall is that it settles into and moves with the ground
camber is achieved before the stone is laid. There should without creating holes and fissures. It is common to see in
be no gaps between stones, or under stones resulting in walls a gap between the concrete and final course where
“letterbox” gaps. Front pinning must be avoided, but thinner concrete has been used as a cope. This can be due to the
stones can be built into the wall to level up coursing. settlement of the wall and/or the trapping of water between
cement and limestone, destroying the top layer of stones.

Through and three-quarter through Mortar mixes should be specified to contain a high
proportion of lime and a minimum content of cement.
stones
Recommended proportions are as follows:
The specification should include reference to the use of
through and three-quarter through stones. ■ 1 part lime: 3 parts sand or
■ 1 part cement: 3 parts lime: 11 parts sand or
These are large stones that need to be selected at the
■ 1 part cement: 2 parts lime : 8 parts screeding/sharp sand
beginning of the build. They should go across the width of
the wall to tie the two wall faces together. They should be
supported across their length with packing stones, and are Sand is to be specified that will provide a similar colour of
usually placed at 1 metre intervals along the wall. Three - mortar to the stone.
quarter through stones are more often used in Cotswold
walls due to the lack of larger stones. These are laid stone on
stone on two courses. (See wall type A&B). The Cotswolds Conservation Board may be able to offer
advice on wall specifications for individual cases.

Cope stones
The specification should include reference to the use of cope The Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain
stones, and the style of coping. DSWA Office, Westmorland County Showground,
Ideally cope stones should bridge the width of the wall, Lane Farm, Crooklands, Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7NH
resting on stones on either side. In field and boundary walls, Tel: 01539 567953
they are usually of various shapes, heights and widths, but Website: www.dswa.org.uk
must be placed so that there are no visible gaps between
Office Administrator: information@dswa.org.uk
each stone and they must retain a vertical position. Small
thin stones are then dropped into the vertical gaps, thus
tightening the whole cope. Where there are no large stones Cotswolds Conservation Board
available double copes can be used, but care should be taken Fosse Way
to interlock stones from side to side. Northleach
In the Cotswolds a variety of coping methods are employed. Gloucestershire GL54 3JH
This depends on the style of the wall, the situation [field, Tel: 01451 862000
estate, garden, roadside] and the requirement for resistance Fax: 01451 862001
to animals, particularly badgers and deer. Examples are Website: www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk
random vertical cope, mortared Cock and Hen, and mortar
only cope. Written by the Cotswold branch of the Dry Stone Walling
Association, in association with Mastercraftsmen of the
Cotswolds and Dry Stone Walling Association

December 2006
AONB Planning Advice Cotswolds Conservation Board

The Cotswold Dry Stone Wall Specification

Typical walling frame Wall type A

(Batter frame) Diagram A Free standing dry stone wall
400mm
Stones to tilt away from
core to shed water
1
Packing stones to be well bedded and
10 wedged. Voids to be filled and packed firmly.

Through or three quarter through stones to be

spaced approx 0.5 metres from ground level and
at 1 metre intervals along wall

GROUND Pinning stone

LEVEL
Building stones

Wall type B Wall type C

Higher boundary wall where some aspect of privacy is desired, Traditional dry stone retaining wall that
or a wall that will form a boundary for animals. Various copes is required to come above ground level.
can be employed depending on finish and purpose required.
500mm
Large flat stone Stone cope
(Alternative cope)

Through stone

Bank-cut back
1
10
1400mm

Tie stones
Three-quarter
through stones Course rubble

Rough but firm rear stones

Wall type D
Retaining wall requiring concrete foundations and concrete blocks
100mm concrete
1 block laid flat
Galv. metal wall tiles @ 900mm. centres
12
horizontally and 450mm centres vertically

Mortar backfill amalgamated

with fillings
Concrete foundations
75mm weep holes to draw to
outer face of stonework
AONB Planning Advice Cotswolds Conservation Board

The Cotswold Dry Stone Wall Specification

Coursed

Random

Building on sloping ground

Mortared top Random cope Cock and hen