Sheep are modest by nature; and they are, relatively, modest in size. So, it is perhaps not surprising that the structures for them can be, and usually are, modest too. While there are a variety of roles and functions needing to be fulfilled by sheep structures, in essence only few different structure types are necessary. Various - albeit that they may be quite different - functions and activities can happen in same, or similar, types of structure. A contrast can be when the sheep farming is on a large scale: then, a structure/building will probably be greater size, and will probably too have just one role: but modesty will likely still be the character of the structure/building.
Concerning sheep, the fundamental purposes requiring to be met by structures are these:
sheltering;
protecting;
containing;
feeding and watering;
handling and treating;
housing;
storing.
It can be appreciated that these are basic requirements and not particularly specialist. So, a situation is being lent for simple, and often multi-purpose, structures and which render flexibility.
The purposes listed above for structures to fulfil are likely to be common to any situation of sheep presence. But there will be things conditioning emphasis among these. As has already been indicated, the size of an operation will govern: the level of specialism to structural elements; how big an element is to be physically.
Also influencing structures, and which functions need to predominate, are:
the aim of an operation;
an operation’s type;
the location of an operation.
Regarding aim; a sheep farm whose entire focus was delivering wool, and especially if it was a large endeavour, would have a dedicated shearing shed.
A sheep farm of a type to have fields and/or flatland would require lots of fencing.
An operation’s location, in terms of landscape and climate, will condition which kinds of roles of structures will be needed, and predominately. Extremes of weather will demand cover for sheep, and protection to functions and items.
A particular divider of structures needed is whether sheep are placed on equable lowland or on marginal and rather testing upland. And another distinction, frequently forming part of the difference between the lowland and upland divide, but also being part of the difference between whether a sheep farm is small or spread over a large area, is if the home farmstead has all its farming structures alongside or whether it has some located far from it.
A most key and fundamental thing distinguishing what is selected and needed by way of structures for sheep farming is: to how full extent outdoors is activity and process. If essentially all activity is outdoors, and moreover, away from the farmstead, then a full provision of functions needs somehow to happen and exist amid landscape and elements. If, however, as is more the norm, some happenings are to occur at base and maybe indoors - lambing and shearing, as examples - structures and equipment there will likely be more purpose-built and less basic than counterpart structures provided out among the landscape.
A vital item for consideration in relation to structures, too, is which among them, and through which context, need to have the provision of some covering - roofing of some kind therefore - and which do not.
So, what are the basic types of structure demanded by sheep farming?
In essence they are:
fences, walls, hedges;
sheds/barns;
pens;
containers and holders of food and water.
It can be clearly noted that across these types there can be variations demanded, of degree of permanence and temporary-ness.
Walls and hedges represent, and exist to be, respectively, permanent and fairly permanent. Fences of wood and metal can be seen as pretty permanent; but those of wire are quite variable.
Sheds and barns are expected as long-standing, and in essence are shells for a variety of endeavour.
Pens can be constructed to be permanent. But when composed, as very frequently, of hurdles, they become very versatile, moveable, and easily changeable entities. The hurdle is the Lego brick of the sheep farming world.
Holders and containers of water and food range from the fixed and permanent (these most likely indoors) to the moveable and basic.
As has been implied already, there is a fundamental difference existing for sheep structures needed and used in the situation of mainstream sheep farming, compared to those demanded and required for a context of marginality and difficulty for the sheep farming endeavour brought by challenge of landscape and/or climate.
Upland sheep areas of the UK, northern England and the Scottish Borders, display particular and interesting structures relating to sheep farming. Sheep are dispersed over hilly-landscape open land and which is subject to tough weather conditions: only occasionally are sheep brought back to their farmstead during the farming year, and for reasons that are specific. Therefore, care and attention to sheep is mostly given to them where the sheep are, and in the open air.
Traditionally, a stell or sheepfold, made of local stone, has often been provided; and usually placed by a river or stream and/or near a road or track. It serves the role of offering sheep some protection against wind, rain, and snow; it acts to provide a sheep holding area for the sheep farmer to treat sheep and do various necessary procedures. A stell can, too, offer a storage place; for a little hay, for example. The routine style for a stell is to be round, but sometimes they are rectangular, and a stell might occasionally have an extension to a provide a wall length to give some more protection to sheep against inclement weather. A stell is roofless.
Stells are sturdy and resilient structures. A pen groupage is among other structures relating to sheep placed in the landscape. Some can be quite strongly built and have an air of permanence whereas others can seem somewhat makeshift. Scattered about the hills too, are small roofed structures of sorts. Some of the ‘buildings’ seem to have been put together from scratch from what has been available - for example corrugated tin; others are rough and ready adaptations of a hut or suchlike. They serve vital purposes. They provide spaces to store hay and vital ‘kit’, to treat or house a sheep or two, and to give a shepherd rudimentary shelter.
Sheep structures in the UK uplands manifest a characteristic, modesty, prevailing generally in sheep structures widely across the world. But even edifices of big sheep farms still seem to be formulated to an essentially modest style. Modesty, which sheep show, seems to go on playing through to be an influence upon the aspect and demeanour of sheep structures.
5th July 2021