Reasons for Designation
Offa's Dyke is the longest linear earthwork in Britain, approximately 220km,
running from Treuddyn, near Mold, to Sedbury on the Severn estuary. It was
constructed towards the end of the eighth century AD by the Mercian king Offa,
and is believed to have formed a long-lived territorial, and possibly
defensive, boundary between the Saxon kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh
kingdoms.
The Dyke is not continuous and consists of a number of discrete lengths
separated by gaps of up to 23km. It is clear from the nature of certain
sections that differences in the scale and character of adjoining portions
were the result of separate gangs being employed on different lengths. Where
possible, natural topographic features such as slopes or rivers were utilised,
and the form of Offa's Dyke is therefore clearly related to the topography.
Along most of its length it consists of a bank with a ditch to the west.
Excavation has indicated that at least some lengths of the bank had a vertical
outer face of either laid stonework or turf revetment. The ditch generally
seems to have been used to provide most of the bank material, although there
is also evidence in some locations of shallow quarries. In places, a berm
divides the bank and ditch, and a counterscarp bank may be present on the lip
of the ditch.
Offa's Dyke now survives in various states of preservation in the form of
earthworks and, where sections have been levelled and infilled, as buried
features. Although some sections of the frontier system no longer survive
visibly, sufficient evidence does exist for its position to be accurately
identified throughout most of its length. In view of its contribution towards
the study of early medieval territorial patterns, all sections of Offa's Dyke
exhibiting significant archaeological remains are considered worthy of
protection.
The section of Offa's Dyke 420m east of Stowfield Farm survives well. The
bank will have preserved part of the original ground surface, predating
the construction of the monument and, along with the ditch to the north will
contain environmental evidence in the form of organic remains which will
relate both to the Dyke and to the landscape within which it was constructed.
The bank will also contain evidence relating to the methods of construction
and the building materials used.
Details
The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of a section of Offa's
Dyke 420m east of Stowfield Farm. Offa's Dyke generally consists of a bank
up to 3.5m high with an intermittent ditch to the west and quarry ditches
to the east. In places Offa's Dyke was strengthened by additional
earthworks, namely a berm between the bank and ditch, and a counterscarp bank
on the western lip of the ditch.
This 63m long section of the Dyke turns from its usual alignment to run south
east-north west, parallel with the course of the River Wye. It is visible as a
bank about 10m wide at its base and stands to 2.8m high on its northern face
and 1m high on its southern face. The ditch to the north of the bank is no
longer visible at ground level, having become infilled over time, but will
survive as a buried feature up to 5m wide. To the north west the line of the
Dyke has been destroyed by the construction of Stowfield Hospital (now
Stowfield House) in 1919 and is not included in the scheduling. A road has
been cut through the line of the monument at the south eastern limit of the
section, and this section of the Dyke is not included in the scheduling.
All fence posts and gate posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the
ground beneath these features is included.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
