![Shetland Stile](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Shetland_Stile.jpg)
A stile is a structure or opening that provides people passage over or through a boundary via
step
Step(s) or STEP may refer to:
Common meanings
* Stairs#Step, Steps, making a staircase
* Walking
* Dance move
* Military step, or march
** Marching
Arts Films and television
* Steps (TV series), ''Steps'' (TV series), Hong Kong
* Step (film), ' ...
s,
ladder
A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps used for climbing or descending. There are two types: rigid ladders that are self-supporting or that may be leaned against a vertical surface such as a wall, and rollable ladders, such ...
s, or narrow gaps. Stiles are often built in rural areas along
footpaths,
fence
A fence is a structure that encloses an area, typically outdoors, and is usually constructed from posts that are connected by boards, wire, rails or netting. A fence differs from a wall in not having a solid foundation along its whole length.
...
s,
wall
A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or, is decorative. There are many kinds of walls, including:
* Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the sup ...
s, or
hedges that enclose animals, allowing people to move freely.
Types
![Hanbury, Worcs, bridge stile 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Hanbury%2C_Worcs%2C_bridge_stile_2.jpg)
In the United Kingdom many stiles were built under legal compulsion (see
Rights of way in the United Kingdom). Recent changes in UK government policy towards farming have encouraged upland landowners to make access more available to the public, and this has seen an increase in the number of stiles and an improvement in their overall condition. However stiles are deprecated
[British Standard BS5709:2018 Gaps Gates & Stiles ()] and are increasingly being replaced by
gates or
kissing gate
A kissing gate is a gate that allows people, but not livestock, to pass through.
The normal construction is a half-round, rectangular, trapezoidal or V-shaped part-enclosure with the free end of a hinged gate trapped between its arms. When the ...
s or, where the field is arable, the stile removed. Many legacy stiles remain, however, in a variety of forms (as is also the case in the US, where there is no standard). As well as having a variety of forms, stiles also sometimes include a 'dog latch' or 'dog gate' to the side of them, which can be lifted to enable a dog to get through (see pictures below).
![Squeezer stile](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Squeezer_stile._-_geograph.org.uk_-_110502.jpg)
An alternative form of stile is a squeeze stile, which is commonly used where footpaths cross
dry stone wall
Dry stone, sometimes called drystack or, in Scotland, drystane, is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their construction m ...
s in England. With this type of stile there is a vertical gap in the wall, usually no more than wide, and often with stone pillars on either side to protect the structure of the wall. The gap must be narrow enough to prevent livestock getting through.
Gallery
File:Ladder stile Snowdonia.jpg, Ladder stile in Snowdonia
Snowdonia or Eryri (), is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951.
Name and extent
It was a commonly held belief that the na ...
File:Stile 02 Ranaghan.jpg, Ranaghan Westmeath
"Noble above nobility"
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 =
, subdivis ...
Mass-path Stile
File:Stile_line_drawing.jpg, Construction of Ranaghan
Ranaghan is a townland and archaeological site in County Westmeath, Ireland.
Introduction
It is south-west of Lough Lene on high ground where there are a multitude of ringforts. Randoon (RandĂșn), possibly the most famous fort of the area, ...
Mass path
A mass path is a pedestrian track or road connecting destinations frequently used by rural communities, traditionally leading to a church celebrating Sunday Mass. They were most common during the centuries that preceded motorised transportation i ...
Stile
File:Stile with dog gate OS SY567846.jpg, Stile with dog gate
File:WoodenStile.JPG, Low-level stile
File:Step Stile - geograph.org.uk - 315602.jpg, A step stile in the Lake District National Park
File:RoadsideStile.jpg, Modern roadside stile in Sweden
File:KentStile.jpg, A wooden stile
See also
*
Cattle grid
*
Kissing gate
A kissing gate is a gate that allows people, but not livestock, to pass through.
The normal construction is a half-round, rectangular, trapezoidal or V-shaped part-enclosure with the free end of a hinged gate trapped between its arms. When the ...
*
Mass path
A mass path is a pedestrian track or road connecting destinations frequently used by rural communities, traditionally leading to a church celebrating Sunday Mass. They were most common during the centuries that preceded motorised transportation i ...
*
Rambler gate
A rambler gate is a self-closing footpath barrier that is in common use in some parts of Britain. It is designed to allow pedestrians to pass but to provide an effective barrier to livestock. It resembles a squeeze stile but the gap can be expand ...
*
Turnstile
A turnstile (also called a turnpike, gateline, baffle gate, automated gate, turn gate in some regions) is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. A turnstile can be configured to enforce one-way human traffic. In addition, a ...
References
{{Reflist
Architectural elements
Types of gates
Landscape