The historic hedges of Devon
Overall Devon has over 33,000 miles of hedges, with over three-quarters of hedgebanks thought to be of at least medieval origin (AD 1150 – 1450). The ‘Devon Bank’ typically consists of a large bank, with laid hedge shrubs on top and veteran hedge trees at wider intervals. Adjacent ditches and stone-faced revetting of the bank were also common practices to aid drainage and provide support. Hedges in Devon are an important part of the distinctive character of the County with medieval hedges in particular contributing to the irregular and sinuous network of small fields and deep lanes which define the rural landscape. Some of the oldest hedges in the County date from prehistory or incorporate archaeological earthworks. These include the middle Bronze Age Dartmoor ‘reaves’ (systems of long parallel boundary banks) which are around 4000 years old. Devon also contains many manor estate hedgebanks which are documented in Anglo-Saxon Charters and survive today as Parish Boundaries. Medieval hedgebanks were later const
Devon Hedge Group
Every year the Devon Hedge Group in association with FWAG South West (Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group) hold an annual Devon Hedge Week in the last week of October, with a large range of hedge-related events and activities on offer from hedge-laying to hedge crafts and historic hedge walks, the latter often attended by the county’s Historic Environment Service. In 2010 the Devon Hedge Group also launched a major new grant-aided project Green Lanes and Veins – New Life for Devon’s Hedges with the overall aim of increasing public understanding and appreciation of the county’s rich hedge heritage, through a range of innovative projects including hedge oral history recordings and a hedge photo competition.
How old are the hedges near you?
Hedges are locally distinctive, with particular styles in different areas.
Community survey of hedges in the Tamar Valley: Cordiale Toolkit.
Hedgerow Management
Hedgerow Recreation
Best practice is to follow the alignments shown on late nineteenth century OS or earlier Tithe maps, avoiding the temptation to ‘iron out’ the curving lines or dog-legs which are typical of hedgebanks created in the medieval period. Ensure that bo
Hedgerow Removal
The criteria for determining what is an ‘important’ hedgerow under the Act include the following archaeological and historic considerations:
1. The hedgerow marks the boundary, or part of the boundary, of at least one historic parish or township; and for this purpose “historic” means existing before 1850.
2. The hedgerow incorporates an archaeological feature which is—
(a) included in the schedule of monuments compiled by the Secretary of State under section 1 (schedule of monuments) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979; or
(b) recorded at the relevant date in a Sites and Monuments Record.
3. The hedgerow—
(a) is situated wholly or partly within an archaeological site included or recorded as mentioned in paragraph 2 or on land adjacent to and associated with such a site; and
(b) is associated with any monument or feature on that site.
4. The hedgerow—
(a) marks the boundary of a pre-1600 AD estate or manor recorded at the relevant date in a Sites and Monuments Record or in a document held at that date at a Record Office; or
(b) is visibly related to any building or other feature of such an estate or manor.
5. The hedgerow—
(a) is recorded in a document held at the relevant date at a Record Office as an integral part of a field system pre-dating the Inclosure Acts; or
(b) is part of, or visibly related to, any building or other feature associated with such a system, and that system—
(i) is substantially complete; or
(ii) is of a pattern which is recorded in a document prepared before the relevant date by a local planning authority, within the meaning of the 1990 Act, for the purposes of development control within the authority’s area, as a key landscape characteristic.
Many of the boundaries in Devon meet these criteria, contributing to the beautiful and intricate rural historic environment that is valued by visitors and residents alike.