Several types of boundary were found, the majority being hedgerows and fences of one sort or another (interlaced with remnants of hedgerows). Very little hedge planting appeared to be going on, and hedgerow management was very patchy.
Shrub species were the most frequent found, making up the bulk of boundaries – hawthorn was found in 87% of the shrub-containing boundaries surveyed, bramble in 50% and elder in 35%. Trees were infrequent in the boundaries, only 230 being found. The most common species were ash (25.2% of all the trees found) and oak (13.9%). Surprisingly some 12.2% of the trees were elm. The herb layer was not specifically surveyed but occasional species of interest were noted.
Many of the boundaries originate from the Enclosures of the 1840s and from post-World War II agricultural improvements, so the hedgerows are relatively young. Cottenham’s market gardening and orchard history has left its legacy in the plot sizes and in the number and variety of boundaries.