Builder Andrew Gammell keeps it in the family with award win for dry stone walling

IT’S a skill that has been passed from father to son.

And the expert tuition Andrew Gammell received in dry stone walling has paid off – he has been named winner of the 2010 CLA Dry Stone Walling Competition.

The 47-year-old, from Slaithwaite, won the event, run by the Country Land and Business Association, for a 30-yard stretch of wall he built at Hey End Farm, Cop Hill.

The builder had been introduced to the craft nearly 40 years ago at Hey End Farm, where he grew up.

He first learned the art of dry stone walling as an eight-year-old boy by the side of his late father, Philip.

And Andrew dedicated his award to his dad, who died five years ago.

But dry stone walling has continued to run in the family, as Andrew is now passing on the skill to his own son Sam.

And the 17-year-old helped build the award-winning wall.

Andrew said: “I haven’t done a great deal of stone walling over the years so I am surprised and delighted to win this award – I’m sure my dad would be proud.

“We began the project back in April and had to scrape the snow off the surfaces before we could start work, which made it quite hard going, but the effort was well worthwhile.”

The stretch of wall took a month to complete and impressed judges with its high quality of workmanship and the way in which Andrew successfully maintained a straight horizontal line on a challenging, sloping site.

Dorothy Fairburn, CLA Yorkshire regional director, said: “The style of the build was in keeping with the surrounding walls and the site was tidy and well presented.

“A high standard of workmanship was evident throughout the whole length of the wall, making Andrew a worthy winner.”

Andrew was presented with his trophy at a special ceremony held The Rose and Crown pub in Slaithwaite.

Runner-up in the competition was Michael Coggins, from Ingleton, Carnforth, who restored 21 metres of a towering wall.

Held in association with Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Guild, the contest is unique as it is not between wallers building temporary short stretches.

The biennial competition aims to preserve the county’s ancient craft of dry stone walling and rewards the people behind the miles of distinctive walls that define Yorkshire’s famous landscapes.