Previously coppiced hedge

[Stere]

Could count the tree rings, good job can see the exposed roots due to erosion digger  would made it look tidy.

 

Least there is no blackthorn

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, organic guy said:

the Devon boys would love to have a go at it as long as they had a digger to throw the bank up afterwards.

So the soil gets put on top of the cut stems?

[organic guy]

A devon hedge is laid as 2 "combs", one on each side of the bank making the side of the bank more square, stopping sheep climbing onto the top. The bank is a major part of it being stock proof.  ThThe hedge can be only 18in high. Th soil is "thrown up" into the gap covering parts of some of the "steepers" which will then root and regenerate the hedge. They claim their style to be the only truly regenerative one because of this.

On the moors the gap on top of the hedge allows shepherds to walk on top of the bank to look for sheep in snowdrifts!

[Will C]

Tidy job, can only work with what you have 👍

[BigRon]

Long way from Devon this!

 

Staffs moorlands! 
 

Plenty of coppicing to ground level, at least we can make it regenerate properly for the next hedgelayer to come along!

 

Landowner is pleased anyway, plenty of firewood and the pleachers we’ve chosen and used are generally good.

[Bill C]

22 hours ago, organic guy said:

Where and when did you do the course?

My wife just did one with the BHHA at beginning of December.  I was looking on.

The quality of instruction was superb.

That's the course I was on, working with Adrian on the mixed Hawthorn hedge(just got the last thorn out of the back of my hand) very very good instruction from all the instructors. Your wife worked with Steve on the other hedge, very good day out and well worth the money.

[organic guy]

You were on the bit looking over the valley with the great view. 👍

[sime42]

7 hours ago, organic guy said:

A devon hedge is laid as 2 "combs", one on each side of the bank making the side of the bank more square, stopping sheep climbing onto the top. The bank is a major part of it being stock proof.  ThThe hedge can be only 18in high. Th soil is "thrown up" into the gap covering parts of some of the "steepers" which will then root and regenerate the hedge. They claim their style to be the only truly regenerative one because of this.

On the moors the gap on top of the hedge allows shepherds to walk on top of the bank to look for sheep in snowdrifts!

 

This is a funny coincidence, I've just been reading about how they used to repair a Devon Turf Hedge.

 

 

This looks slightly different to what you've described, maybe just a question of timing. This guy is talking about working in the 1930s, and specifically in the South Hams, South Devon.

[Stere]

Welsh  styles

 

 

https://www.drystonewalling.wales/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ClawddConstruction.pdf

 

[Bill C]

14 hours ago, sime42 said:

 

This is a funny coincidence, I've just been reading about how they used to repair a Devon Turf Hedge.

 

 

This looks slightly different to what you've described, maybe just a question of timing. This guy is talking about working in the 1930s, and specifically in the South Hams, South Devon.

The Devon hedge can be either turfed or stone walled along the sloping sides below the steepers but it's not seen as much now as it's work intensive. The more often seen hedge is just layed along the upper edges and a digger is used to remove soil from the sides and base, this is then placed on the top of the edge between the steepers. This type of hedge also explains why the Devon digging spade is designed like it is, the spade head is like a Spade on a deck of cards and the handle is about 5 foot long which allows the spade to cut into the soil and it's length allows the soil can be thrown on top of the hedge with ease, it's also easy to cut turf with the Devon spade. The soil removed from the base of the edge also becomes a water drainage ditch and adds height to the hedge. It took 50+years and a hedge laying course to make me understand and fit together all those little bits of information that's been bouncing around inside my head since I was a kid!!!! Never to old to learn!