ELLWOOD CLASSIC

NATIONAL WALLING COMPETITION

The Ellwood Classic Walling Competition comes to Dartmoor! Join local wallers, as well as visiting wallers across the country, for a lively challenge, with professional, veteran and amateurs building against the clock. Learn more about this fascinating rural skill, watch demonstrations and have a go at walling yourself. The event on Dartmoor will be particularly challenging for the Ellwood Branch as the competition will be based on Devon Banks and not dry stone walls. A Devon Bank has an earth core and comprises of two separate stone facings bonded by soils and vegetation with a distinctive batter.

We are delighted that Simon Dell will be offering guided history walks during the day, where he will share his knowledge about past uses of the landscape, including mining and stone working. Sheepdog trainer Sophie Mills will also be providing training demonstrations with her dog. Hot food will be available to purchase onsite at Merrivale and refreshments, courtesy of Dartmoor Brewery, will be for sale. Families & dogs on leads are welcome to spectate between 10am and 4pm. Car parking available at £5 per car, please bring cash.

This competition is sponsored by the Dartmoor Preservation Association, with generous support from the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, Dartmoor Brewery and the Dartmoor National Park Authority. Proceeds will go towards Devon Air Ambulance and Sampford Spiney church. Competitors can register directly with the Ellwood Branch, by emailing ellwoodbranch@gmail.com or calling 07557399978.

Read FAQs and book your FREE spectator ticket HERE.

Sheepdog Training Demonstrations with Sophie Mills

With sheep, cattle and ponies grazing over many miles of open high moorland, sheepdogs are essential helpers whenever stock need moving. Young sheepdog trainer Sophie Mills will be giving fascinating demonstrations sharing how she works with her dog, plus sharing insights into the important nature of this age old partnership. Enjoy watching her dog work the field, responding to commands and ask any questions about training.

Site History Walks and Talks with Simon Dell

Simon Dell is the founder of Moorland Guides and an avid walker with a wealth of knowledge. He will be available throughout the event for an informal chat about Dartmoor history, plus will be leading two walks from the walling site to explore local archaeology. Learn about past uses of the land, including traces of mining and stoneworking industries, such as the sett makers benches. No need to book, just arrive at the meeting point at the times displayed.

Merrivale's Past Landscapes walk with Andy Crabb

This 2hr walk will explore the well-preserved Merrivale prehistoric stone row complex and associated monuments, investigate a Bronze Age settlement and visit a post medieval rabbit warren.

Andy has been working on Dartmoor as an archeologist for both the DNPA and Historic England for over 20 years and his main role is to promote the positive management of Dartmoor's Historic Environment through consultation and community engagement.

History of the Competition

The first Ellwood Classic was held on the 22nd of June 2019 in Cumbria, home of Ted Ellwood, the greatest competition waller ever, and who the Ellwood Branch are named after. The competition moves every year to try and be as inclusive as possible to all areas of the isle; much like the Branch itself.

Trophies are awarded for winners of the Professional, Amateur and Veteran classes. Ted also kindly donated an additional trophy for best work/wall on field just before he passed away. The competition was set up by professional wallers in Cumbria and Yorkshire and previous competitions have been held in Aberdeenshire and Northumberland, amongst others.

The DPA are excited to finally bring this prestigous competition to Dartmoor and help to showcase a skill which has so shaped the landscape.

Importance of Walling on Dartmoor

There is evidence of drystone walling being used as far back as 3200BC and these types of walls are a familiar and recognizable sight on Dartmoor. They are used to mark field boundaries and keep animals in or out. There are many advantages of a drystone wall, compared to walls built with brick and mortar, and drystone walls are particularly suited to the conditions in remote areas of the moor. Because drystone walls are held up by gravity and friction, there is no mortar to break down and fail over time, which can happen quite quickly when exposed to repeated freeze and thaw cycles. Instead of gathering in any hollows, water runs straight through a drystone wall and is able to soak away into the ground. As well as being resilient to the Dartmoor weather, drystone walls also provide excellent habitats for a range of animals, including: bats, field mice, voles, stoats, hedgehogs, toads and slow worms. Many birds also take advantage of these structures, including small owls and robins.

Along with drystone walls Dartmoor is known for other boundary styles of which the Devon Bank is the most numerous. These can be made up of an earthen bank with a woody crown or a stone faced earth bank with trees and shrubs on top. Unlike a drystone wall the bank is held together by the inner core and the roots of vegetation and shrubs which help to bind the structure together. Stone facing often includes large ‘grounders’ or ‘shiners’ and smaller stones are then ‘pitched’ (upright) or coursed (horizontal) creating a ‘batter’ or profile.

The type and nature of the local stone dictates the form of construction and the bank is often associated with a ditch. Where the boundary abuts the common the outer face may be maintained with the inner ground formed by a slope creating a wedge shaped profile. Woody vegetation is dictated by elevation and the degree of soil in the core and this varies form wind pruned Hawthorn at higher levels to dense Hazel crowns in the valleys. As well as traditional practices for building and maintaining the bank there are also local traditions for hedge laying.