Security fencing is something we all take for granted. It is almost a given that we use locks, bolts and perimeters of solid structures to protect our world.
Due to the malevolent aspect of human nature, in most societies, it is accepted and expected that you don’t leave your doors unlocked and your land open to trespasses, as it is inevitable that, sooner or later, theft or damage will occur.
It’s hard to imagine that we think like this but ultimately trust is a big word and nothing overwhelms the presence of danger more than the trust behind the security.
Whether it is in the form of a fence or an insurance policy, it is better to be safe than sorry.
We know what human beings are capable of. It is difficult to imagine the beauty of love and kindness existing side-by-side in a world of cruelty and injustice but it’s a sad fact of life.
Therefore, it is almost inconceivable to ignore the potential daily threats that hang over us and thwart our lives by failing to protect loved ones and possessions.
And this is where we delve deeper into the reason behind having to protect one’s property as we look at where, when, and why a need to use fencing first came to fruition.
The first security fencing
It’s always going to be a dark story when you consider invasion, theft and trespass but historians haven’t actually been able to pinpoint the exact time or place that the first security fence was erected.
However, we can be sure that there has always been a need to protect something, and it is likely that there always will be.
The things we own belong to us and we have a right to protect them, and the protection of property is a liberty of our rights as humans. A person should not be deprived of his possessions.
Although we may initially think of security fencing as the protection of goods and property, the first security fencing was used to divide terrains to keep people off the land of conquered territory.
It was the Greeks followed by the Romans who first started to use fences. As the concept of private property emerged, security fencing has been facilitated for important environments where there is a reason to use secure divisions.
Since those times, for families, farms, businesses, leisure facilities, stored goods, transport, and residential buildings, security fencing has been an essential part of human life for hundreds of years.
Divide and Conquer

Some would say that the day the first man felt the need to divide and conquer his territory with a clear boundary was the day society fell apart; unable to trust his fellow man and live harmoniously without conflict or threat to one’s livelihood.
The legendary Numa Pompilius, King of Rome – https://imperiumromanum.pl/en/biographies/numa-pompilius/ – 753–672 BC – instilled in all Romans the respect of property and is attributed to Terminus, the ancient God of boundaries.
By associating himself with this religious system, King Numa sought to set official boundaries within Roman territories as a way of preserving peace and announced, “Any man who owns property should outline it with stones to honour the god, Terminalia.”
He’s not alone either. On the subject of land ownership and equality, Swiss philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Rousseau – strongly believed that a labourer had the right to claim the land he worked as his own, and thus transform it into property.
And deeper into the theory of boundaries, Rousseau went on to say, “The first man who, having enclosed a piece of ground, bethought himself of saying ‘This is mine’, and found people simple enough to believe him, was the real founder of civil society.”
And furthermore, quite controversially, from the ‘Discourse on the Origin of Inequality’:-
“From how many crimes, wars and murders, from how many horrors and misfortunes might not anyone have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, or filling up the ditch, and crying to his fellows, “Beware of listening to this impostor; you are undone if you once forget that the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth itself to nobody.”
Clear signs over the Roman fence
Following the ancient Greeks and Romans, there are clear signs that Anglo-Saxons extended the Roman idea of security fencing from the pre-existing Romano-British culture.
As settlers arrived from mainland Europe, they adopted the ideas of indigenous Brits and mixed with people of Celtic language whilst under Roman influence.
The Anglo-Saxons would have spent considerable time working the land, growing rye, barley, wheat, oats, peas and beans, and herding cattle.
They built structures and tools like spades, forks and rakes with wood and metal. The animals they looked after and the possessions they constructed would certainly have had value, and the farmland would most likely have required fencing or hedges to house or contain the animals.
Hedges were favoured by the Anglo-Saxons as it was beneficial for the soil and the wildlife. Also, let’s not forget that the Roman influence and the tribal aspect of early Anglo-Saxon would’ve determined a need for territories and provinces, therefore suggesting a need to separate and protect, often using a resilient stone as fencing.
Before the Victorians creatively decorated wrought iron security fences, Anglo-Saxons built worm fences or split-rail fences –https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-rail_fence – a simple wooden construction also known as ‘snake’ or zigzag fencing due to the meandering effect.
Early American settlers built similar fences called Virginia worm fencing, prior to the invention of barbed wire.
Proposed in France, in 1860, the first intended use for barbed wire was to deter wildlife. Farmers needed to ensure that stray cattle didn’t trample on and damage crops whilst keeping them away from the ever-emerging railroads.
Barbed wire helped reduce the cost of enclosing land and also solved the problems that came with erecting wooden fencing in rocky areas.
Ranchers began to put up notices claiming land and by the 20th century, the number of cowboys required to herd cattle was significantly reduced due to the introduction of barbed wire fencing.
Security Fencing – The Future

In the 21st century, the fence, as well as those barbed with wire plays an important role in protecting property with height, style, location and materials all factored into the design and manufacture.
Security fences allow us to relax whilst socialising in gardens or working at a business, safe in the knowledge that the clear boundary provided by the separation prevents trespassing – accidental or otherwise.
More technical, sophisticated security fencing can also have a dual purpose. As well as providing a boundary, acoustic fencing can be stylish whilst providing effective noise reduction – ideal for loud generators or engines used in heavy industry.
If you are looking to be part of fencing history A 2 Z Fencing –http://www.a2zfencing.co.uk/index.htm – provides a full-service fencing solution.
For large or small areas, A 2 Z Fencing designs and installs products to suit any need, all at extremely competitive prices.
If you want to break barriers and start a conversation contact A 2 Z for a simple A2B service – http://www.a2zfencing.co.uk/contact.htm.