Cut and pleach: a potted guide to hedgelaying

What do we mean by managing a hedge? Put simply, it involves cutting trees to a desired size and shape, exploiting natural regeneration to make a dense living barrier. Hedgelaying is an age-old and wildlife-friendly way to do this.

A laid hedge starts life as a row of young trees, which are thinned out and then cut part way through at an angle near to the base. These hinged stems, called ‘pleachers’ or ‘plashers’ (among other names), are then laid down to form a stock-proof barrier, held in place by a line of hazel stakes. It looks stark at first, but it won’t be long before nesting birds move in and the hedge is blossoming the following spring. With periodic, incremental trimming outside the nesting season (which encourages fresh growth) and re-laying every few decades, a well-managed hedge can live for hundreds of years.

Historically, hedgelaying was an autumn and winter job done by farm labourers. Today this historic skill is kept alive by master hedgelayers like 80-year-old Clive Matthew (pictured) from Leicestershire, who has been laying hedges for 65 years. Crowned ‘Supreme Champion’ in the 2006 National Hedgelaying Championships, he still uses the traditional tools of the hedgelayer’s trade – an axe and a bill hook – only occasionally resorting to a chainsaw.

The hedges Clive lays have hazel braids along the top for extra strength. These ‘binders’ are a hallmark of ‘Midland Bullock’ style, one of about eight regional hedgelaying styles in current use. Varying in height and structure, each style was developed for local conditions and farming practices. A Midland hedge has a twiggy ‘brush’ side, behind which livestock was traditionally kept. Crops were then grown on the ‘plough’ or ‘face’ side.

“You couldn’t lay a Midland-style hedge up in Yorkshire or Cumbria, of course,” says Clive. “Because of the high winds, a Midland hedge would probably blow away. So they have their own styles, which can withstand the wind and drifting snow. And if you go down to Wales, you’ve got a double brush, so you can keep sheep on both sides.”

Back in 1978, Clive co-founded the National Hedgelaying Society, which continues to promote the craft’s revival: hedgelaying.org.uk