fence

Cornish hedges, or stone hedges, are a type of dry-stone wall found most often in Cornwall. An earth bank around 1.4 m/4.6 ft high, though sometimes 1.8 m/6 ft or more in height, is faced with stones of different sizes and topped with turf. The width of the base is usually equal to the height of the wall. These constructions are very durable; a stone hedge built with concave walls might stand for two hundred years.

Barrier erected to mark a boundary, protect property, or prevent livestock from straying. Fences began to replace earth banks as boundary markers in the 16th century with the creation of the first private parks and small farms. Hedges and dry-stone walls are often used as fences.

Early fences were made of rough timber posts and rails, but from the 18th century onwards iron railings became available. The production of cheap wire in the 19th century and the invention in the USA of barbed wire revolutionized agricultural fencing. Modern rot-proof fencing employs such materials as plastic and concrete.