Once we arrived, we put on safety boots and aprons and were given a quick tour of the facilities including the saw workshop where students are taught how to cut really large pieces of stone into useable slabs. We were taught a little about the different types of stone and then shown how to draw a design onto the Bath Stone that we were using.

Once we had decided on a design the instructors showed us how to hold the chisels and h am me r s and how to carve our designs into the stone. It was hard work and took a long time! It was difficult to control the chisels and to hit with the right amount of force so the piece of stone we wanted to remove came out but it didn’t crack the whole piece!

The instructors showed us different areas of the Construction Department and we saw the Bricklaying Area and the Joinery Department too.

The students are building a small house inside the workshops that uses all the skills - bricklaying, stonemasonry and joinery. Some of the pieces the other students are making were very beautiful and complicated. We can see why it takes so long to practise becoming a Stonemason.

A good day was had by all. We were allowed to take our work home with us which meant carrying it home!

“I really enjoyed the day I’m looking into training to be a Stonemason when I leave school now.” Jack Cluff.

“It was an enjoyable and educational day out” Jake Murphy

Georgina Phillips – Trip Organiser      

To view more pictures from the trip please click here