Dry stone wall repair

Dry stone wall repair, done so it lasts

A bulging or collapsed dry stone wall is one of the most common and most urgent calls we get, and it is rarely as simple as putting the stones back. A wall fails for a reason, so a good repair fixes the cause as well as the wall, which is the difference between a repair that holds and one that comes down again the next wet winter.

Why dry stone walls fail

Usually it is water, ground movement or a lost footing. Water gets into the core and freezes, the ground behind a retaining section moves, or the foundation gives way and the wall starts to lean and bulge before it finally drops. Reading why a particular wall has failed is the first thing we do, because it decides how much of the wall needs attention.

How we repair a wall

We take the failed section down to a sound base, sort and reuse the original stone, match anything missing to the local stone, and rebuild it properly, with the footings and the drainage put right out of sight. A dry stone wall is built without mortar, so the skill is in the placing and the hearting, the way the stones lock together and shed water. Done correctly, the repair should outlast the rest of the wall.

In keeping with period and listed property

On period and listed property, and across the conservation villages of the Cotswolds, keeping a repair in character so it disappears into the existing wall is the whole point. We work in matched local stone and the traditional technique, so new work is hard to tell from old.

Repair or rebuild

Sometimes a localised repair is enough; sometimes the cause runs along the wall and a longer run needs taking down and rebuilding. We make that call standing in front of the wall, because how much of the existing stone can be saved and reused is a judgement, not a guess. For the same reason, we price repairs on inspection rather than over the phone.

Talk to us about a wall repair

If a wall is bulging, leaning or down, tell us about it and we will come and look. Arrange a consultation to start.

• 01

  Dry stone walling

  Dry-stone walls built and repaired in the traditional way, in local stone, no mortar, no shortcuts.

  Read
• 02

  Cotswold stone walling

  Garden and boundary walls in Cotswold stone, built to sit right with the local vernacular.

  Read
• 03

  Retaining walls

  Engineered retaining walls that hold ground and drain properly, faced in stone to suit the garden.

  Read
• 04

  Garden walls

  Boundary and feature garden walls, built and faced to last and to match the property.

  Read
• 05

  Ha-ha walls

  Bespoke ha-ha walls: a sunken retaining wall that keeps an uninterrupted view while holding stock or marking a boundary.

  Read

• 01

  Dry stone walling

  Dry-stone walls built and repaired in the traditional way, in local stone, no mortar, no shortcuts.

  Read
• 02

  Walling

  Dry-stone and Cotswold-stone walling, garden walls and retaining walls, built in the local stone.

  Read
• 03

  Cotswold stone walling

  Garden and boundary walls in Cotswold stone, built to sit right with the local vernacular.

  Read

Source: Gardenscape. Figures as of 2026-06-03.

• Can you repair just the failed section of a wall?

  Often, yes. We take the failed section back to a sound base and rebuild it, reusing the original stone. Sometimes a longer run needs attention if the cause runs along the wall, which we assess on site.

• Why did my dry stone wall collapse?

  Usually water getting into the core, ground movement, or a failed footing. A proper repair addresses the cause, not just the stones, so the wall does not come down again.

• Can you match the existing stone?

  Yes. We reuse the original stone and match anything missing to the local stone, and we build in the traditional technique, so on period and listed property the repair disappears into the existing wall.

• How is a wall repair priced?

  On inspection. How much of the existing wall can be saved and reused, and whether the cause runs further along, is a judgement best made standing in front of it.

• Should I repair or rebuild?

  It depends on the extent and the cause. A localised failure can be repaired; a wall failing along its length is often better taken down and rebuilt. We tell you straight which is the better value on site.