From the Scottish Highlands to Christchurch and now Waikato, Highland Stone’s Stewart Anderson has spent more than 20 years working with a material that has long fascinated him.
It’s little surprise where Stewart Anderson’s business name came from. Growing up in the Scottish Highlands, he was surrounded by historic stone architecture, from churches and abbeys to castles and other heritage buildings.
After leaving school, he started a masonry apprenticeship, learning the traditional skills of the trade across both heritage restoration and new builds.
“I kind of just got into it, and then I loved it,” says Stewart. “I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather do. When you build something out of stone, it’s going to be there for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.”
After moving from Scotland to New Zealand, Stewart took his skills to Christchurch in the aftermath of the earthquakes to work on heritage restoration projects, a time that deepened his appreciation for the craft.
“It kind of made me fall in love with it all a bit more again.”
With this type of work, it’s hard to know what needs to be done before stones start being removed. Pieces may need to be carefully taken down, marked and returned to their original position, while architectural details such as arches and window surrounds require an even more detailed approach.
When you build something out of stone, it’s going to be there for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.
Today, Highland Stone is based in Cambridge, working mostly on new builds: adding stone cladding, feature walls, fireplaces, chimneys and entryways. Compared to restoration and heritage projects, it’s working from a blank slate, but many of the techniques required are the same as they have been for generations.
Whether it’s for a new home or a structure that has weathered and withstood years of use, Stewart lays every piece of stone only after cleaning and prepping the foundations, setting up profiles on each corner, adding string lines, checking each stone and making the mix that will hold each one in place.
Even a relatively small project can take a week, something often underestimated by others.
“I still use hardman chisels. Sometimes I need to use a saw. Even if I’m relaying something historic, it’s the same. It’s pretty old school, sometimes I wish others understood how much labour goes into it, it’s not just like laying bricks.”
It’s physical work, especially when stone and materials need to be carried up and down ladders and scaffolding for chimneys and other elevated features.
But after two decades of the craft, Stewart still enjoys working with the material. No two stones are ever laid in the same way; each needs to be considered, shaped and positioned as part of the larger composition. Not only is every project different, every stone within each project is also approached differently.
“I like working with different materials, different stones. If I’ve got clients that want a local stone, I can go into the quarry and get it ready. I take a lot of pride in it.”
If you’re inspired by Stewart’s work, explore Highland Stone’s completed projects to see how stonemasonry can define an interior or exterior, or start a project board to collect ideas for your own build or renovation. Building your home should feel personal and ArchiPro is here to help you bring it all together.
