By Dr Clive Dalton History A crook, staff or stick has been a shepherd’s multi-purpose tool-of-trade since man first herded sheep. It has even become a religious symbol for high-ranking clergy to show their responsibility for their flocks. A stick has many uses. It’s a support for walking over rough terrain as in New Zealand … Read more
By Donald Clegg Sheep sheltersAll over the moors and fells of the North of England and southern Scotland, there are strange dry-stone structures, now abandoned , moss-covered and ruinous in the most part, which have intrigued visitors to this Border region for decades as they explore its magic landscape. Some of these structures are simply … Read more
This a famous and much-loved poem and song of Northumbrian shepherds and country folk at functions such as Border Shepherds’ suppers and rural gatherings. It tells the story of the clostridial disease of sheep (mainly of young hoggs) called ‘braxy’, and what little could be done to prevent it in the days before vaccines. The … Read more
Making a horn headed shepherd’s crook By Dr Clive Dalton The bigger and more solid the horn, the more material you have to work with and hence the better the end result. See the Border Shepherd’s Stick Dressing Association website . British sheep breeds with heavy horns like the Scottish Blackface or Swaledale are ideal, … Read more