rafter

Raftering is a ploughing technique that transforms grassland into a series of raised ridges and trenches. The ploughshare cuts through sod, turns it upside down, and deposits it onto an adjacent unploughed strip of ground, creating a pronounced ridge. The grass side of the furrow ends up facing downward or into the trench, where it begins to decompose and enrich the soil.

This method was essential before mechanical cultivation made thorough soil preparation routine. By burying fresh grass and root matter under lifted soil, raftering accelerated their breakdown while simultaneously creating drainage channels between ridges. The raised beds themselves shed water in wet seasons and warmed faster in spring, making them practical for clay-heavy or poorly drained land. Each ridge typically stood 12 to 18 inches high, depending on the plough design and number of passes.

Raftering requires a plough capable of handling turf and root systems, usually a general-purpose or swing plough adjusted to cut deeper and wider than conventional ploughing. A single plough team moving at steady pace in parallel runs builds the ridge pattern gradually. The work suits large fields of established pasture being brought into cultivation, though the labour cost and the time needed for buried grass to decompose meant it was reserved for high-value conversion projects or problem soils.

The term comes from the ridge itself, called a rafter or raft, which resembles a timber frame lying across the field. Regional dialect held the word tight: raftering was common speech in Midlands and northern England, less so elsewhere. Where soil and climate permitted shallower, faster ploughing, the term fell out of practical use by the mid-twentieth century, though the physical practice continued in specialized contexts.