Stone walls and Cornish hedges are part of what makes the county look the way it does. They line country lanes, divide fields, mark garden boundaries and frame cottages from the Tamar to Land's End. Many are centuries old. If you own one, sooner or later it will need some care, and if you're building a new home, extension or driveway, you may want a new wall that looks as though it has always been there. This guide explains how traditional Cornish walls are made, why they fail and how to repair or build them properly.
What is a Cornish hedge?
Despite the name, a traditional Cornish hedge isn't a row of shrubs. It's an earth bank faced on both sides with stone, with a core of compacted earth and a planted or turfed top. The faces usually curve inwards as they rise, a profile known as the batter, which helps the hedge stand up for generations. Stones are laid with their length running into the bank rather than along it, so they're held firmly by the earth behind.
The stone used varies with the local geology. Granite is common around Bodmin Moor, Carnmenellis and West Penwith, while slate and shale are used across much of mid and north Cornwall. In slate areas you'll often see stones laid on edge in a herringbone pattern, known locally as curzey way.
Other types of stone wall
Alongside Cornish hedges, you'll find:
Dry stone walls, built without mortar and relying on careful placement of each stone.
Mortared stone walls, common around gardens, yards and buildings. Older ones are usually bedded and pointed in lime mortar.
Stone-faced walls, where natural stone is laid over a concrete or block core, often used for retaining walls and new entrances.
Stone house walls, where many of the same principles about breathability and lime mortar apply.
Why walls and hedges fail
Even well-built walls need attention over time. Common causes of damage include:
Water, which washes earth out of the core of a hedge, freezes in joints and builds up pressure behind walls
Tree and shrub roots pushing stones apart
Burrowing animals, especially rabbits and badgers in hedges
Vehicle strikes on lanes and driveway entrances
Cement repairs on older lime-built walls, which can trap moisture and crack the surrounding stone
Missing coping or turf tops letting water straight into the wall
A small bulge or a few fallen stones can often be put right quickly. Left alone, they tend to turn into a full collapse after a wet winter.
Repairing a wall or hedge properly
Good repairs follow the way the wall was originally built. For a Cornish hedge, that usually means taking down the damaged section, sorting and reusing the original stone, rebuilding the faces to the right batter with stones set deep into the bank, ramming the earth core firm and restoring the top. For mortared walls on older properties, lime mortar is normally the right choice, matched as closely as possible to the original in colour and texture. Our page on stone, rendering and lime work and our guide to lime rendering for Cornish stone homes explain why lime matters.
Building new walls
New stone walls are often part of a wider project, such as a new driveway entrance, a garden terrace or the boundary of a new build. Matching local stone and style helps a new wall sit comfortably in its surroundings, which can also help with planning in sensitive areas. Where a wall needs to hold back ground or support a driveway, it should be designed as a retaining wall with proper foundations and drainage, often with a stone face. Our guide to retaining walls and sloping sites explains this, and a new stone entrance pairs well with a resin driveway.
Permissions to check first
Before removing, lowering or altering a wall or hedge, it's worth checking:
Hedgerow rules: Cornish hedges in the countryside can count as hedgerows, and removing one may need you to notify Cornwall Council first.
Conservation areas and listed buildings: demolishing or altering walls in a conservation area, or walls connected to a listed building, may need consent.
New or widened entrances: creating a new access onto a road, or widening one, often needs planning permission and may involve highway requirements.
Wall heights: new walls above certain heights, especially next to a road, may need planning permission.
Wildlife: hedges can provide habitat for protected species, and work during the bird nesting season needs care.
If you're in a protected landscape, our guide to building in an AONB or conservation area is also useful.
Cornish hedge and stone wall FAQs
Can I use cement to repair an old stone wall?
On older walls originally built with lime or earth, cement is usually best avoided because it's harder and less breathable than the stone, which can lead to damp and further damage. Lime mortar is normally the better choice.
Can a collapsed Cornish hedge be rebuilt with the same stone?
Usually, yes. Most of the original stone can be sorted and reused, with extra matching stone sourced if needed.
Do I need permission to repair my wall?
Like-for-like repairs often don't need permission, but removal, significant changes, or work at listed buildings or in conservation areas may. It's worth checking first.
Talk to us about your walls
Cornish Building Company carries out stonework and lime work across Cornwall from our base in Wadebridge. Call us on 01208 816991 or contact us to talk about repairing or building a wall
