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 section of Offa's Dyke, the 8th century Mercian boundary bank, which appears to have been built on a smaller scale than other sections in Shropshire.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA6595 - Excavation of Offa's Dyke, Llanfair Waterdine, Kinsley Wood by D Hill & M Worthington (Ref: Site 80)
• ESA8302 - 2017 Heritage impact assessment of land at Panpunton Hill by AOC Archaeology (Ref: 17/02797/TEL)

Description

Scheduling of Scheduled Monument Salop 82 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, 475m north east of Nether Skyborry. 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 a counterscarp bank on the outer lip of the ditch. ->

-> In this section, the Dyke runs for about 1.8km from a point 350m east of Bryney across the shoulder of Panpunton Hill to Kinsley Wood, where the remains are no longer visible. In the northern quarter the Dyke is visible as well-defined bank, up to 2.8m high, with a shallow ditch and traces of a counterscarp bank to the west. Approximately 300m from the north end of this section, there is a wide trackway through the Dyke. Beyond this, the Dyke continues for some 1.5km southwards. Here the Dyke is lower and in places is very slight. The ditch has been largely infilled and reduced by ploughing, and the counterscarp is only faintly visible as a slight earthwork. The ditch and counterscarp bank will survive as buried features, however, and are included in the Scheduling. ->

-> Immediately to the north, and across the present Welsh border in Powys are further sections of Offa's Dyke which are the subject of separate Schedulings. All fence posts and stiles are excluded from the Scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included. ->

-> This section of the Dyke appears to have been originally constructed on a smaller scale than sections further north in Shropshire and may, therefore, provide evidence of different construction techniques employed along the length of the Dyke. The parish boundary between Llanfair Waterdine and Stowe runs along the line of the southern half of the Dyke, perpetuating its role as demarcation boundary since the early medieval period. <1>

A Heritage Impact Assessment was undertaken in 2017 with regard to a proposed telecommunications installation on land at Panpunton Hill, Knighton, Shropshire (centred NGR:SO 28457 74057). This considered the impact on the setting of this section of Offa's Dyke, and was accompanied by a series of site visits. <2>

The exact line of Offa’s Dyke after it crosses from the southern bank of the River Teme in Knighton to the north bank and approaches Panpunton Hill has not been identified. This excavation was to test one of the proposed lines, but the slight bank that was visible was a former hedge on the parish boundary with no evidence for a substantial ditch and therefore was not Offa’s Dyke. This excavation was carried out in extremely wet conditions. <3>

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

<01> English Heritage, 2004, Scheduling Papers (Revised Scheduling, 15/04/2004) (Scheduled Monument notification). SSA22009.

<02> Bradley-Lovekin T, 2017, Land at Panpunton Hill, Shropshire: heritage impact assessment. Project No: 23857 (Deskbased survey report). SSA29591.

<03> Hill D & Worthington M, 2003, Offa's Dyke: history & guide, p55, Site 80 (Manuscript). SSA23865.

<04> Shropshire Council, 2009-Jan-6, SA0901_154 to SA0901_156 (3 photos) Flight: 09_SA_01 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA25928.

Sources

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