Hi;

Dry stone done well is not really a no brainer. Maybe the Dry Stone Concervancy can refer you to someone in your area. http://www.drystone.org/

I think a well done dry-laid walls are extremely durable IF the wall is well laid and the ground water around the foundation is properly drained.

Jim

The closer you look the more you see.
"Heavy timber framing is not a lost art" Fred Hodgson, 1909