Home :: The 2009 Canadian Dry Stone Wall Festival

The 2009 Canadian Dry Stone Wall Festival

Event date:
October 9, 2009 - October 12, 2009
Location:
Grand Valley Ontario

Event Type:
Festival
Status:
Completed

   

 Dean and Reid help with the rafters of the blackhouse.Dean and Reid help with the rafters of the blackhouse. 

Robin Aggus and family and friends perform lovely celtic music for the wallers during the festival.Robin Aggus and family and friends perform lovely celtic music for the wallers during the festival.

 James Crawford, from Scotland, works on the large stone lintel to be lifted over the door opening of the blackhouseJames Crawford, from Scotland, works on the large stone lintel to be lifted over the door opening of the blackhouse

 

 The blackhouse, as seen from the festival cherry picker, just before the rafters begin to be lifted up into positionThe blackhouse, as seen from the festival cherry picker, just before the rafters begin to be lifted up into position

 

Patrick McAfee tkaes one last picture of the blackhouse before he returns to IrelandPatrick McAfee tkaes one last picture of the blackhouse before he returns to Ireland

The 'green' roof will be completed some time this fall.

 

Sean Donnelly is tested for his intermediate certification during the last day of the festival.Sean Donnelly is tested for his intermediate certification during the last day of the festival. 

He Passed! 

 

 The fabulous Feidin wall that students built during the festival, under the direction of reknown craftsman Patrick McAfeeThe fabulous Feidin wall that students built during the festival, under the direction of reknown craftsman Patrick McAfee

Mathis Natvic discusses with students the merits of sedum mat material for topping dry stone wallsMathis Natvic discusses with students the merits of sedum mat material for topping dry stone walls

 

Abigail crawls through the butternut squash arch the children helped build at the 2009 dry stone wall festivalAbigail crawls through the butternut squash arch the children helped build at the 2009 dry stone wall festival

 

 Some of the wallers and carpenters who worked on the festival blackhouse over the three days of the festivalSome of the wallers and carpenters who worked on the festival blackhouse over the three days of the festival

 

 Happy Wallers and StudentsHappy Wallers and Students

 

 

 

 Mastercraftsman Norman Haddow's sudents built this lovely wall at the festivalMastercraftsman Norman Haddow's sudents built this lovely wall at the festival

This year's 'ROCKTOBERFEST' was a tremendous success.

ROCKTOBERFEST 2009

 

The dry stone walling association of Canada  hosted it's annual festival October 9-12 of 2009 in Grand Valley Ontario.  It was the first time outside of the Port Hope area.  It was successfully held at the Landman Farms property just north of Grand Valley Ontario, about an hour north west of Toronto.  Wallers from the Canada, the States, Ireland, Wales and Scotland constructed a dry stone Blackhouse building and a skilled carpentry team added much of the roof structure over the three days of the festival

 

As well there were three walling workshops held on the saturday and sunday. 

 

There were also two wallers tested for dswa certification in intermediate level
coordinated in conjunction with with the DSWA of UK
 
There was a children's squash walling event, as well as music provided by The Robin Aggus Celtic Trio and display booths by many craftsmen and women from Dufferine County.K
Guest presenters and instructors at the festival included

 

Norman Haddow, Master Craftsman with the DSWA of UK  who taught a fabulous two day sedum-turf top walling workshop

 

Patrick McAfee,  Author and traditional masonry expert who taught workshop students how to build a traditional Irish Feidin Wall
Dan Snow, Well known author and dry stone artist who taught a workshop

 

John Shaw-Rimmington, dry stone artist and president of the DSWA of Canada ran some children's building with squash events.  

 

Tomas Lipps, director of the Stone Foundation and editor of Stonexus Magazine who gave a power point presentation Saturday and Sunday evening


 

James Crawford, over saw much of the Blackhouse construction and gave a presentation on the Saturday vening in Grand Valley  on " The figure of eight and its evolution to the Black house " James served apprenticeship in the family company, then trained in technical drawing and surveying before taking up the post in controlling Planning and Engineering in the family company.

Left business in 1973 and came to the Outer Hebrides to pursue his life long interest in Vernacular buildings of the Hebrides, restoring many traditional buildings, ie BLackhouses,Horizontal Mills, Kilns, and Beehive houses, ect.
In 1995 an experimental Archaeological figure of eight house from the fifth century AD was planned and executed by him, and the realisation that the traditional Backhouse evolved in all likelihood from this structure.In 1997 he was approached by the local College of Education to run a course on traditional building course on Vernacular buildings this was repeated shortly after by the Western Isles Council, on the same theme.
Over the years, out with the vernacular field he has through commissions constructed some 30 odd monuments some of which won through to the last six in the UK, for the Civic Trust Awards. Three structures won the top Architectural awards for Scotland.
Since moving to Lewis, research has been ongoing in the Archaeological field leading to some interesting developments, together with papers being produced, resulting in his being elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland in 1995 in recognition of Archaeological service.


 


 

The DSWAC would like to thank all the wonderful people who helped out this year, and especially the following people for their tremendous effort making this 2009 Roctoberfest the  successful walling celebration it was.

 

Cameron Scott
Russ Beardsley
Scott George 
Timothy Fleming
Tomas Lipps
Matthew Ring
Fraser Sinclair
Stephen Nevin
Eric and Kerry Landman
All the Landman Family
Patrick McAfee
James Crawford
Dan Snow
Dan Pearl
Jared Flynn
Andre Lemeiux
Mathis Natvik
Leslie Ferguson
Robin Aggus with his musicains and friends
John Scott
Sean Donnelly
Norman Haddow
Chris Munzeburger
Jan-Michael
Mike Landman
Tracy McLellan
Mary Shaw-Rimmington
Phil and Lee Meany
Joe Mitchell 
Karen Landman
Aurthur Weeks
John Landman
Reid Snow
Dean McLellan 

 Some of the many activities that went on at the 2009 dry stone wall festival.Some of the many activities that went on at the 2009 dry stone wall festival.