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)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A well preserved and visually impressive section of Offa's Dyke, the 8th century Mercian boundary bank.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA8372 - 2014 Conservation management plan for section of Offa's Dyke, Black Hall, Llanfair Waterdine, Shropshire by Shropshire Council HET
• ESA8727 - 2018 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8625 - 2014 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8621 - 2015 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8361 - 2016 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8362 - 2017 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England
• ESA8886 - 2019 DBA of land at Garbett Hall, Llanfair Waterdine by Richard K Morriss (Ref: 18/05192/FUL)

Description

Scheduling of Scheduled Monument Salop 80 revised in 2004. Part of Salop 80 forms this new section. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a section of the linear boundary known as Offa's Dyke, 890m north west and 320m west of Little Selley. 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 places by additional earthworks, namely a berm between the bank and ditch and a counterscarp bank on the outer lip of the ditch. In this section the Dyke runs for about 1.5km from the crest of Llanfair Hill down to Garbett Hall and lies within two separate areas of protection. In this section the Dyke was strongly built, and the bank rises to 3m high in places. At the northern end a metalled road has removed part of the Dyke, although the base of the bank and ditch will survive as buried features and are, therefore, included in the Scheduling. The earthworks run southwards from this point for 400m and are visible as a high bank and V-cut ditch. The counterscarp has been eroded by ploughing but is visible as a slight bank. Beyond a gap, believed to be modern, a small storage yard has been built into the eastern side of the bank, removing about 1m from the lower slope. Despite this, the base of the bank will survive as a buried feature and is included in the Scheduling. For the remainder of this section, the bank and ditch together with the counterscarp bank are well-preserved for a further 550m to the point where a trackway runs through the Dyke, connecting fields on either side. The track has removed all archaeological features in this area, and it is not, therefore included in the Scheduling. ->

-> Within the second area of protection the Dyke is visible as a bank and ditch with a well-preserved counterscarp bank which runs for 600m south to Garbett Hall. In this section the crest of the bank is lower than in sections to the north, and in the final 200m the ditch has been deepened by a small stream following its line as far as the farm. At the southern end of this section a stone-built barn built on the line of the bank has removed all traces of the Dyke and the remains are no longer visible in the steep slope from the barn down to the roadway which passes the farm to the south. -

-> There are a number of gaps in the earthworks in this section, but the bank and ditch in these areas will survive as buried features and are included in the Scheduling. ->

-> Immediately to the north and 40m to the south are further sections of Offa's Dyke which are the subject of separate Schedulings. All fence posts, stiles, gates and modern road surfaces are excluded from the Scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included. <1>

Section photographed during aerial survey in 2012. <2>

A conservation management plan was undertaken for a section of Offa's Dyke, at Black Hall, Llanfair Waterdine, which is covered by two schedulings. This provides an assessment of management history, condition trend and an understanding of the current management issues and threats. Part 2 provides a specification for works to be undertaken to ensure its long term future. ->

-> This section of the dyke was described in detail. The earthworks are visible here as a high bank and V-cut ditch. The counterscarp has been eroded by ploughing but is visible as a slight bank. <3><3a>

Section of dyke photographed during aerial survey in 2009. <4><5>

Sources

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