The hedge I have just finished, a large hawthorn last layed more than sixty years ago. The hedge is the boundary of a pinfold on sandy soil, for the village of Misson North Notts.
There were some very interesting techniques in the laying of this hedge. First the trees were very dry and brittle and I lost the first near the wall, this is how I found out so I root layed the next few, this is very time consuming they had to be another way.
This is when I remembered that I had been north to the Solway Firth to help to re-start an old competition. This cutting is and old way and it seem that this way is suitable for the salty conditions of the Firth. You cross cut the tree and bend over the sound it makes is freighting but works, it cleaves down and allows you to bend the pleach, I then cleaned the cut to make a nice looking modern cut. ( See Photographs)
