Isle of Wight Hedgelaying Competition: History

Including past competition information

Each year, the Isle of Wight Hedgerow Group organises the Isle of Wight Hedgelaying Competition. A separate competition has been run by the Wight Nature Fund since 2024.

Early competitions

Years ago, the IW Hedgelaying Competition was run alongside the annual ploughing match. This tradition died out in the 20th century, most likely as the craft of hedgelaying began to wane and hedges were removed from fields across the country - including the Isle of Wight. This made suitable sites harder to find, and there were fewer practitioners of the craft.

In the late 1990s a few enthusiasts on the Island decided to stage a hedgelaying competition again, the first for many years. This was held in 1998 at Chapel Furlong Farm, Hulverstone, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Carder. It was supported by the Isle of Wight Council's Countryside Section, and by FWAG, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group. Both of these organisations have since wound up, but the hedgelaying competition lives on!

Since then, the revived competition has been held (mostly) annually at various locations across the Island.

Details of past competitions

This is an incomplete list of competition results and reports. if you have any results or information about competitions prior to 2008 we would love to add it it to these pages.