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Four-mile dry stone wall to beautify commuter road

Beth Cruse
BBC News, West of England
National Highways A group of men wearing orange high vis jackets and hard hats are pictured in the distance constructing a dry stone wall from honey-coloured stone. One man is in the foreground, placing stones on top of the wall. There is a giant heap of the stones behind them. National Highways
Twelve stone masons are building the wall at a pace of one metre per day

A four-mile (7km) dry stone wall is being built to help a major new commuter road blend into its Cotswolds surroundings.

Twelve stonemasons have already spent a year constructing the wall traditionally using honey-coloured Cotswold stone, at a pace of one metre per day, next to the A417 Missing Link between Gloucester and Cirencester.

They are not expected to finish the task until the end of 2026.

"It's great to see the walls come to life, knowing that they will become a valuable habitat feature for many species as well as looking incredible," said Natasha James, an ecologist working on the wall.

National Highways A golden dry stone wall is pictured on sand with a heap of stone to the right. In the distance are cars, trees and a steep road on a green hill.National Highways
The wall is expected to be a habitat for various insects, birds and plants

The stone masons were taught how to construct Cotswold stone walls by experts at the Dry Stone Walling Association (DSWA).

According to the DWSA, dry stone walls protect fauna from bees to toads to shrews, and flora from liverworts to rusty back ferns.

Dry stone walls are not built with mortar, but careful selection of interlocking stones ensures they are strong – the oldest ones in the UK date back thousands of years.

National Highways A CGI image of what the missing link road will look like. Cars are driving on a dual carriageway underneath a bridge covered in grass.National Highways
The A417 Missing Link scheme will include a green bridge

Bernard McEnroe, managing director of Master Stone Masons UK, has been working on the wall.

"We're delighted to be involved in this incredible project, helping to preserve the timeless beauty and heritage of the Cotswolds," he said.

The £460m A417 Missing Link project, which spans several miles, is due to be completed by 2027.

The project is intended to help reduce congestion and accidents along the A417.

The scheme includes new junctions, repurposed roads for pedestrians and cyclists, and a green bridge.

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