About
We are Joe and Leah, the husband-and-wife team behind Dry Stone Habitats based near Stroud and working across the Cotswolds. We offer all dry stone walling services from repairs to new walls, guided by a passion for the ecological benefits of traditional dry stone walls. Joe began working as a dry stone waller in 2019, training with two expert craftsmen for several years.  Leah joined in 2025 and we decided to launch Dry Stone Habitats.Â
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Prior to dry stone walling, our backgrounds were in art history and architecture, and we met whilst studying at The Courtauld Institute of Art in London. After pursuing our respective careers in these fields, we came to the conclusion that we wanted to get away from our laptops, be outside in nature and work in a more hands on way. Growing up in Stroud and the Cotswolds, Joe had always had an appreciation for dry stone walling so when the opportunity came in 2019 to try his hand at it, he jumped at the chance. Leah started training in 2025 after teaching at universities for several years, attracted by the heritage and ecological benefits of this wonderful craft. Our previous experiences influence our approach to dry stone walling, giving us an appreciation of its rich history as part of the built and natural environment of the Cotswolds. We always try to adhere to traditional methods that respect this heritage.
In addition to this, dry stone walls are fantastic habitats for all kinds of flora and fauna (hence our name!). Animals and insects, including birds, toads, stoats and butterflies make homes in walls, as well as lichens, moss and flowering plants. We are passionate about the ecology of dry stone walls. Our aim is not simply to construct walls that happen to be good for nature, but to design them in ways that intentionally and actively provide habitats and enhance biodiversity offering potential for rewilding and habitat regeneration. This is currently under development and we hope to start constructing purpose-built dry stone habitats in the not-so-distant future. If you would be interested in having one of these walls built, then please get in touch.