It’s always nice to learn something new. On today’s walk with Jess I scrambled down to photograph this structure. We knew that this was for sheep but had no idea it was called a sheep fold.
A sheep fold, also known as a sheep pen or pound, is a simple enclosure designed to gather and manage sheep. In the UK, stone sheep folds are particularly common in areas where stone was a readily available resource, such as the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, and parts of Scotland. Built without mortar, these dry stone structures exemplify the skill and ingenuity of rural communities.
Stone folds were typically used for several purposes:
- Gathering sheep: During shepherding tasks such as shearing, lambing, or dosing, sheep were brought into folds for easy handling.
- Protection: They offered shelter from predators and harsh weather, especially in remote or upland areas.
- Separation: Farmers used folds to sort sheep by breed, age, or ownership.