Scottish Traditional Building Skills Audit Scoping ... - Historic Scotland

DRYSTANE DYKING
LANTRA has recently developed a National Occupational Standard specifically for
drystane dyking. LANTRA awards a certificate in drystane dyking, currently the only
accredited qualification available in the UK (Certificate: master Craftsman – Dry
Stone Walling – levels 1, 2 and 3). No Scottish college delivers this qualification.
The current NOS on dry-stone walling has been developed around the Dry Stone
Walling Association’s Lantra Awards-approved ‘Craftsman Certification Scheme’.
The Drystone Walling Association has stated that the NOS covers everything
required for the construction, repair and maintenance of traditional drystone walls.
Although still principally viewed as a land-based occupation, there is an increasing
percentage of commercial dry-stone walling taking place in an urban environment,
often in connection to new builds as well as the continued traditional repair,
reinstatement, maintenance, and adaptation of traditional and historic dry- stone
dykes in a rural context.
The Dry Stone Walling Association has intimated that there may be scope to
develop NOS provision in the area of commercial practice such as working
relationships, clients, legalities, liability, planning issues, bringing in structural
engineers and contractor relationships etc.
There are also a number of leisure courses available that do not offer an accredited
qualification.
FULL LIST OF WISH-LIST SKILLS: DRYSTANE DYKING
Preparing and laying foundations
Building and packing
Placing of throughbands
Line and straightness
Batter or camber
Copestones and finish
Work on sloping ground
Round end OR round corner OR right-angled corner
Set of steps OR stile
Arch OR pillar
Work on sloping ground
Stripping out >>
Scottish Traditional Building Skills Audit Scoping Exercise
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