The theft of stones for new walls or garden rockeries is ‘more common than most people think’
Ancient stone walls across North Wales are being dismantled by thieves, causing a loss to the region’s heritage. The theft of stones for new walls or garden rockeries is “more common than most people think”, according to one expert.
Local stone masons have reported that some walls are being marked with paint to deter thieves. Desmond Gahan from Anglesey revealed he was recently asked to chisel fake cracks in coping stones to make them appear worthless.
“I’ve a customer in Brynteg who found the entire end of a field wall taken – around five metres,” he said. “Another wanted to build a new sandstone wall in Church Bay (Porth Swtan) – he ordered in the stone which was left in a pile in a field. Half of it was taken before the wall could be built.”
North Wales is known for its “stone hedges” – ancient dry stone walls built to enclose livestock. This craft dates back thousands of years, with many of the walls built in the 19th century following Britain’s Enclosure Acts. Rural historians consider them as important as the buildings, roads and bridges that shaped today’s countryside, reports North Wales Live.
Many are steeped in local history and folklore, and they also provide important habitats for birds, insects and other animals. Stone theft is not a new phenomenon, said master waller Sean Adcock from Penisarwaun, Gwynedd.
Coping stone – the shaped (dressed) top stone used to make a wall look tidier – has long been a target, he said. “How widespread and severe it was, I’m not so sure,” he added.
“But I’m convinced that in my early years working in Nant Ffrancon, and driving down the old road from the A55, that coping stones were steadily disappearing. I do know of a landowner in Llanllechid who marked all his coping stones with dots – red, if I remember correctly – as he thought people were removing them from his walls.”
Matters recently came to a head when a photo was shared on social media showing what seemed to be a ransacked wall between Holyhead and Trearddur, Anglesey. Given that loose stones weren’t scattered about and only the more valuable dressed stones had been taken, theft was suspected.
The perpetrators were dubbed “mindless thugs”. One person said: “Looks like it may have accidentally fallen into the back of a white pick-up…..several times.”
Another said: “Taken home for rockery stones… used to happen a lot around Moelfre.”
It’s often the case that stolen stones end up being sold on social media, according to one expert. The thefts have been described as “heart-breaking”, not just for the affected landowners but also for the visual charm of the countryside.
Not only are local residents bearing the brunt, but Anglesey’s tourism sector is also at risk. One local said: “All the thousands of tourists that go past here every year will see this awful mess.”
Desmond Gahan, a former Wales’ Strongest Man and world record holder for static car lifting, who runs Môn Masonry, has spoken out about a mini-crimewave happening in plain sight. The 30-year-old from Benllech, who specialises in dry stone walls, said: “It’s happening more often than people think.” He explained that creating the coping stones for the top of a wall involves hours of chiselling to make them look neater, but these are the stones thieves usually target.
He said: “Creating the coping stones for the top of a wall involves hours of chiseling to make them look neater. Unfortunately, these are the stone thieves are usually after. But what can you do? You can’t police a wall 24/7. To try and deter thieves at a wall near Amlwch, I was recently asked to chisel some marks in topping stone to make them look as though they were cracked, even though they weren’t.”
Crime involving historic sites is on the rise, Heritage England reports, with no specific crime figures for stone wall thefts. Targets include walls, paving slabs, granite cattle troughs, and even stone fountains.
Churches are frequently targeted, with York stone being a popular choice, which can cost up to £400 per square metre to replace. In 2024, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported spending £120,000 over three years to repair damage caused by theft and anti-social behaviour, including the theft of a kissing gate.
