Grassington Project
Validus Construction was appointed to carry out a full dismantle and rebuild of a series of terraced stone walls in Grassington, in the Yorkshire Dales, overlooking the River Wharfe.
The walls had failed as a result of underlying land drains giving way, undermining the structure from below and making a straightforward repair unworkable.
The project began with a careful dismantling of the affected sections. Rather than clearing the site, every stone was catalogued and set aside as the wall came down, so the original material could be reused in the rebuild rather than replaced.
With the wall down, our team carried out ground stabilisation works to resolve the underlying cause of the failure before any rebuilding began. Addressing the ground itself, rather than just rebuilding on top of it, meant the new structure wasn’t going back up on the same fault that brought the original wall down.
The terraces were then rebuilt using traditional dry stone walling techniques, with the original stone reinstated wherever it could be. The result is a rebuilt structure that holds the same character and appearance as the original, now sitting on a foundation built to actually last.
To finish the site, the surrounding landscaping was renewed to match: paving and steps were relaid across the terraces, turf was reinstated throughout, and estate rail fencing was fitted to complete the boundary. Set against the backdrop of the River Wharfe, the finished walls are back doing the job they’ve done for generations: holding the terraces in place.
