Sheephouses varied in size and structure, but most covered about an
acre of land and might accommodate several hundred sheep. Two or three
shepherds would have been attached to each. Fountains' sheepcote at
Greenbury was, it seems, 'L-shaped', and extended about 260 ft (80m)
either side.(69) The sheepcotes were probably
constructed from wood or brushwood hedges, but might be built of stone
and, as Roger de Mowbray's grant of land in Sawley suggests, were
roofed with ferns.(70) The sheephouses
had folds, as well as enclosed pockets of meadow and pasture. Rievaulx
Abbey's sheephouse at Wether Cote survives near the abbey's grange
at Skiplam.
