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.
Details
The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of a section of Offa's
Dyke 380m south east of Brook House, on Madgett Hill. Offa's Dyke generally
consists of a bank up to 3.5m high with an intermittent ditch to the west
and quarry pits 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.
In this 91m long section the Dyke is visible as a bank with a shallow ditch to
the west and an area of contiguous quarry pits to the east, running
north-south up the slope of Madgett Hill. The bank, which has a rounded
profile, is between 9m and 10m wide at its base and stands to a maximum height
of 1.1m on its western face and 1.7m on its eastern face. The ditch is between
3m and 6m wide and up to 0.4m deep, while the quarries are up to 8m wide and
0.6m deep.
The Offa's Dyke long distance footpath signpost at the southern end of the
section is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it is
included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
33475
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
