Hedge around old fort

Anne McGeough asked 9 years ago
I’m looking for advice in relation to planting a hedge around the circular rim of an old fort, it hasn’t any preservation orders on it of any kind. The previous bushes, whitethorn and blackthorn, were never trimmed and they grew to 20ft and more but fell over due to a combination of ivy, wind and livestock damage. The only problem is that the rim area is now very much in shade from mature Sycamore and Ash trees. Can you recommend a suitable hedge that will grow in partial and in some cases total shade until it gets established? I would prefer deciduous rather than evergreen with the exception of perhaps a few holly bushes and a few scots pine but if that is not practical I’m open to other ideas. The circumference of the rim is approximately 150 metres.

1 Answers

Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
Even though the fort, presumably a ring-fort, may have no specific preservation order, it is protected under the general provisions of the Record of Monuments and Places, and work on a recorded site has to be notified. This can be checked with the National Monuments Service.

In any case, it is very unlikely that a deciduous hedge will grow satisfactorily in such shade, and even yew, which is evergreen, and poisonous to animals, incidentally, would struggle.

It is likely the previous thorn bushes were affected by the shade of taller trees and probably grazed by livestock. And livestock would pose another severe barrier to establishing a new hedge. You might be better to shelve the project!

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