Monument Type(s):

• BOUNDARY BANK (Early Saxon to Mid Saxon - 410 AD to 800 AD)
• DYKE (DEFENCE) (Early Saxon to Mid Saxon - 410 AD to 800 AD)
• FRONTIER DEFENCE (Early Saxon to Mid Saxon - 410 AD to 800 AD)
• GATEWAY? (Early Saxon to Mid Saxon - 410 AD to 800 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A well preserved section of Offa's Dyke, the 8th century Mercian boundary bank, which is of particular interest because it includes one of the few known original breaks or gateways through the Dyke.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA6373 - 2009 WB on Offa's Dyke by SCAS
• ESA6524 - 2008 WB along Offa’s Dyke Path at Churchtown Wood, Middle Knuck, Nut Wood, and Rownal by SCCAS
• ESA6667 - 2010 WB on Offa's Dyke by SCAS
• ESA6944 - 2013 WB on the installation of new path furniture at Hergan, Clun, along Offa's Dyke path by SCAS
• ESA8163 - 2017 WB on installation of new path furniture on Offa's Dyke Path at Cwm Farm, Mainstone by SCAS
• ESA10517 - 2024 WB on footpath improvements to Offa's Dyke, Knuck Bank, Mainstone by Aeon Archaeology

Description

Scheduling of section 400m east of Cwm Farm (formerly part of Salop 78, now 32597) revised in 2004. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a section of the linear boundary known as Offa's Dyke 400m east of Cwm Farm. Offa's Dyke generally consists of a bank, up to 3.5m high, with an intermittent parallel ditch and quarry pits in places. It was strengthened in some areas by additional earthworks, namely a berm between the bank and ditch and counterscarp bank on the outer lip of the ditch. ->

-> In this section the Dyke runs for some 920m from the south side of the entrance to Middle Knuck Farm to the north edge of the road at Hergan. At the northern end the bank is visible for 15m. Although the ditch has been infilled and overlain by a trackway, it will survive as a buried feature to the west of the Dyke. The construction of a barn and ancillary buildings at Middle Knuck Farm has modified the Dyke in this area, although the bank and ditch will survive as buried features and are included in the scheduling. To the south of the barn the Dyke is visible as a well-preserved earthwork for some 280m as far as a brook. Beyond the brook, the Dyke runs southwards over the shoulder of the hill, and is visible as a bank with the V-shaped ditch enhanced by a small watercourse. To the south, the ditch and counterscarp have been reduced by ploughing, but will survive as buried features and are, therefore, included in the scheduling. ->

-> On the flank of Hergan Hill the Dyke turns to the south east before turning sharply to the south west. To the south of this point a trackway runs along the western side of the bank with a second bank defining its western edge. The track continues north eastwards through a gap in the Dyke thought to represent an original entrance approximately 120m north east of the modern road. A 20m sample of the continuation of the trackway on the north eastern side of the Dyke is included in the scheduling in order to preserve its relationship with the Dyke. ->

-> At the southern end of this section the road from Cwm Farm has damaged both bank and ditch and this area is not, therefore, included in the scheduling. Further sections of Offa's Dyke immediately to the north of this section and to the south are the subject of separate schedulings. ->

-> All post and wire fences, the footbridge below Middle Knuck Farm, and the ancillary buildings at Middle Knuck Farm are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included <1>

A watching brief was carried out during the installation of new path furniture in 2009 along this stretch of Offa's Dyke; no significant archaeological features or deposits were located in the excavations. <2>

A new fingered waymark post was sited in 2008 on the western side of the bank where the path crossed a fenceline. The hole for this post again 0.8m deep with a diameter of 0.4m, and was cut through a homogenous deposit over 0.8m deep of dark brown humic loam. No significant archaeological features or deposits were seen in the excavation. <3>

A watching brief was carried out during the installation of new path furniture in 2010 located at SO 2607 8630 (Middle Knuck D; ODP10 MK-D); no significant archaeological deposits were located in the excavations for the new furniture. <4>

In April 2013, a watching brief on the installation of new path furniture at a site along the Offa’s Dyke Path at Hergan, Clun (ODP13 H; SO 2613 8546) recorded no significant archaeological features or deposits. <5>

A watching brief was carried out on the installation of new path furniture on Offa's Dyke at Cwm Farm, Mainstone in 2017 (cented on SO 2610 8575). A thin topsoil overlay a deposit that may have represented the fill of the dyke's ditch. No other significant archaeological finds or deposits were encountered. <6>

Section of dyke photographed during aerial survey in 2009. <7>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.