The term ‘stone hedges’ is used here as a term for all free standing stone faced earth banks. They can be found in most walling areas, but most notably Devon, Cornwall and the coastal districts of Wales, and to a lesser extent in the North West of England. Remnants of various patterns can also be found through much of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, but examples in good condition are few and far between. Generally, stone hedges are found in lower lying areas where stone is in short supply.
In Cornwall, the term ‘hedge’ is used for all walls, including dry stone walls. R Menneer (1994) quotes earlier texts that “all mounds, not regular masonry, are in Cornwall termed hedges”. The terminology probably originated in the Anglo-Saxon word hecg referring to a territorial boundary, not to be confused with haeg, a hurdle, or hega, a living boundary.
In North Wales, stone hedges are known as clawdd (singular) or cloddiau (plural). Clawdd is pronounced ‘clow-th’ as in ‘clown’ and ‘them’. Cloddiau is pronounced ‘clo-the-eye’, as in ‘clod’, ‘the’ and ‘eye’. Literally translated clawdd means hedge, dyke or embankment, with Offa’s Dyke known by the Welsh as ‘Clawdd Offa’.
In this chapter, cloddiau is used to refer to stone hedges which have the stonework set vertically on edge, and built in more or less even layers. It is the most widespread form of stone hedge and probably accounts for the greatest overall length of any form used. It mostly occurs in Wales, but the type is also common in South Cornwall, notably on the Lizard Peninsula, and in parts of Cumbria where such features are called Cumberland Banks, Kes’s or Kessies.
The term Cornish hedge is used in this chapter to refer to walls built similarly to dry stone walls, but with an earth core and concave batter. Cornish hedges are generally at least 4′ (1.2m), whereas Welsh cloddiau are rarely much more than about 3′ (1m). Some taller cloddiau have concave batters, but a straight batter is normal. Very often Cornish hedges have, or used to have, a shrub hedge growing on the top. Such growth is rarer on cloddiau, although Cumberland Banks are usually topped with shrub hedges. To aid the stockproofing of cloddiau without a shrub hedge, you will occasionally find a ditch on one side. This is probably where the earth core was dug, and helps to gain height on one side. It is more common on lower walls rather than taller ones. Additional material such as dead wood or gorse may have been piled on the top of the cloddiau, for extra stockproofing.
It is a common misconception that stone hedges are built with turves in their faces. This misconception is probably due to the proliferation of growth on roadside stone hedges, and on those which enclose fields not used for grazing. Any vegetative growth is due to natural colonisation and low grazing pressure. When hedges are constructed with a lot of turves in the face, there is a serious risk of collapse as the turves dry out and shrink.
One of the most important aspects of stone hedges is their wildlife role, as their earth core can be a haven for small mammals, and their faces an important habitat for plants and invertebrates. Stone hedges are more valuable than dry stone walls as habitats, as the earth core helps sustain a wider range of plants and animals.
Ignoring local or individual preferences, the main factors which determine the style of stone hedge are:
- Type of available stone. Granite, sandstone, elvan (whinstone) and irregular clearance or river-washed stones are most suited to building in roughly level layers, with smaller stone best used in vertical courses. Slate is best used upright or, if fragmented, in the herringbone pattern (p83).
- Cost. The cheapest is stone cleared from fields, but for larger jobs, quarried stone is necessary. In Cornwall quarried slate, which is much cheaper than granite, is used increasingly even in granite areas, despite the dislike of local craftsmen. One way to save stone used on cloddiau and granite hedges is to stop at the 3-4′ (0.9-1.2m) level, and finish off the top of the hedge with turf. In Cornwall, this method is sometimes used on south and west facing slopes, where exposed to sun and rain, the turves quickly grow and bind together. In the dry shade on north facing slopes or under trees, where turves don’t thrive, stones are used instead. Methods of constructing these turf-faced banks are described in Hedging – Banking and turfing.
