During a recent walk around the wonderful parkland surrounding Calke Abbey, a National Trust property in South Derbyshire, we came across this fence. Yes it’s fair to say that it’s seen better days and is in need of some TLC, but it does make an interesting foreground feature to this idyllic pastoral scene.

Back home I searched for a suitable ‘fence’ quote and soon came across this one by G K Chesterton – “Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up”.

This quote became known as Chesterton’s Fence which went on to explain that some reformers will say “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.” To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: “If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.” Wise words indeed!