Traditional boundaries
The rich variety of traditional boundaries in
Wales contributes to local distinctiveness and enhances the
landscape
What is a traditional boundary?
There are different forms and styles
of traditional boundaries. Consider the hedged
landscapes of the Welsh Marches, the earth banks and ‘cloddiau’ of
the Llyn peninsula and south west Anglesey, and the high stone
walls of the upland ‘ffriddoedd’ and mountains.
Most traditional boundaries continue to serve
the purpose for which they were originally intended - to
identify divisions between properties and to protect crops and
animals.
However, they also serve as important
wildlife corridors, offering shelter and protection for species
unable to survive in open ground.
Often, boundaries will carry both historic and
wildlife interest - a testament to constructions that may have been
in existence for centuries - and land that may only rarely have
changed hands.
CCW is currently gathering more information on
the distribution of different traditional boundaries in Wales. It
is essential that the rarest traditional boundaries are identified
and safeguarded.