Stiles have been a part of British country life for a very long time, in fact the word "stile" has Anglo Saxon origins. I understand that stiles are only found in Britain, but do correct me should I be wrong. Stiles allow safe human passage through the countryside whilst protecting livestock from straying. Stiles are also used to walk through fields of crops, but only if they have a designated footpath going across.
A writer in 1564 described the difficulty of getting his dog over one and, in the 19th century, rural poet John Clare remembered their value as a momentary place of reflection:
"He lolls upon each resting stile
To see the fields so sweetly smile
To see the wheat grown green and long."
A Lake District ladder stile
Stiles have evolved in many formats over the centuries, some of which could even be classed as minor triumphs of early Victorian engineering. The remaining stiles shown below are local to us on our high Cotswold escarpment which we ourselves use on a regular basis. 
This one is also close to home - a four minute walk in the opposite direction. Once over the cattle can be seen safely grazing.
This is an interesting spring loaded stile. 
With a gentle push it springs open and then automatically shuts once the walker has past through.
This stile is a two minute walk from home - it requires a certain amount of agility to climb over. Fortunately both of us can still manage it.
This one is also close to home - a four minute walk in the opposite direction. Once over the cattle can be seen safely grazing.
This is a Victorian stile known as a "kissing gate".
The name "kissing gate" is thought to come from the fact that the gate "kisses" (touches) each side of the enclosure, hence the name, and it doesn't need a latch to be secured. It allows people to pass through while effectively preventing livestock from doing so.
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