Far North workshop to promote ancient art of stonemasonry

People keen to learn about the ancient art of stonemasonry will have the opportunity in a hands-on workshop organised by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga in Kerikeri in May.

The five-day course will be focused on Edmonds Ruins – a historic ruin cared for by Heritage New Zealand about 15 minutes’ drive from Kerikeri – and will be led by Kerikeri stonemason Ian McDiamard. The course will run from May 5-9.

“We’re delighted to offer this course to people with a particular interest in stonemasonry, but it will be particularly useful for people who may own property with stone walls on them and are keen to learn how best to maintain them,” Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland manager Bill Edwards, who is convening the course, said.

“It will also be useful for those people who may have some stonemasonry projects planned and who might be looking to upskill themselves.”

Northlanders who want to learn the ancient art of stonemasonry can attend a workshop in Kerikeri next month.

The course will include a field trip to areas in the Bay of Islands to look at how stone has been used for various purposes over the centuries, including gardening by Māori and stone fencing by farmers.

Participants will spend the rest of the time using practical skills learned on the course to repair a stretch of Edmonds Ruins’ stone wall.

“The course will be a lot of hands-on fun and by the end of it, participants will be able to undertake basic repairs to stone walls safely and with confidence,” he said.

Participants will need to have a reasonable level of fitness and mobility. The course will cost $400 a person and that includes transport around the sites, basic safety gear, including gloves and eye protection, and lunches. Participants will need to cover their accommodation.

The workshop is part of New Zealand Archaeology Week (May 3-11), a national celebration of our archaeological heritage.

To book or for more information, contact jdanilo@heritage.org.nz .

■ Stone walls are a kind of masonry construction that has been used for thousands of years. The first stone walls were constructed by farmers and primitive people by piling loose field stones into a dry stone wall. Later, mortar and plaster were used, especially in the construction of city walls, castles, and other fortifications before and during the Middle Ages. These stone walls are spread throughout the world in various forms.

Stone walls are usually made of local materials varying from limestone and flint to granite and sandstone. However, the quality of building stone varies greatly, both in its endurance to weathering, resistance to water penetration and in its ability to be worked into regular shapes before construction.