Paul Lamb-Of Thorn & Briar

About

The Bookery is delighted to welcome acclaimedhedgelayerand writer Paul Lamb, who will joinProfessor Richard Brazier in conversationto discuss his powerful memoir Of Thorn & Bria r , an intimate portrait of a year spent travelling the West Country and restoring Britains ancient hedgerows by hand. Of Thorn & Briar has been Highly Commended for the 2025 Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing.

In his book, Paul traces the rhythm of the seasons from late summer until thebird'snest in spring, living in his traditional wagon and working alone across the southwest tomaintainthe living boundaries of the British countryside. Hedgerowsthese linear woodlandshave declined dramatically as traditional management techniques have been lost tomodernisation, making Pauls work vital to preserving fragile wildlife corridors and the ecosystems they sustain. Hedgelaying is a centuries old craft requiring precision,patience,and an intimate understanding of the landscape. Each hedge is worked by hand, stem by stem, cutting part through the living wood and laying it over so new growth can flourish. The craft blends strength and delicacy, demanding not only physical skill but an ability toreadthe age,speciesand character of each hedge. As Paultravelsthe West Country, he restores boundaries that have shaped rural life for generations, creating living structures that shelter birds, mammals and insects while protecting fields from wind and erosion.His deeply rooted way of life has resonated widely, including among more than 195,000 followers of his @westcountry hedgelayer account, where he documents the quiet beauty of Britains hedgerows.

A beguiling book . . . this spare but elegant account is an unexpected delight, and as soothing as a walk down a tree dappled lane at sunsetDaily Mail
This is a delightful book and one that deserves to enter the pantheon of distinguished Nature writing Country Life

Paul Lambis a West Countryhedgelayerand writer whose life and craft are rooted in the landscapes he works to preserve. Born in 1976 and raised partly in New Zealand before returning to Britain as a teenager, he later apprenticed with a Dorset woodsman an experience that shaped his lifelong dedication to traditional woodland and hedgerow management. Today he earns his living from the hedgerows and woodlands of the southwest, restoring ancient boundaries by hand and championing the value of rural craft and ecological stewardship.

Professor Richard Brazier is the founder and Director of the University of Exeters Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW). His research spans a wide range of subjects including landscape restoration science, ecology, soil health, water quality, drought and flooding. Many of the research projects that Richard runs are focused upon understanding how we might improve land management to restore natural processes, build natural capital, and enhance the resilience of ecosystems that we have degraded. He also works on species reintroduction projects, evaluating how we might tackle the global problem of nature's decline, with an emphasis upon local initiatives that deliver real change to places like Devon.

This event forms part of The Bookerysprogrammeof author talks and cultural events and reflects the bookshops proud support for theNational Year of Reading 2026.
At the end of the evening, Paul will be available to discuss his work, answerquestionsand sign copies Of Thorn & Briar.