More information : Meg Dike [G.S.] (Supposed Roman) (1) Scheduled (2) Meg Dike now consists of a double vallum and fosse on two sides of an almost square enclosure. The other two sides have been destroyed by quarrying on the NE and by the construction of a road on the SE. Both sides are now only partly discernible. The NW side has a fosse 2m deep with a scarp 1.1m high and a counterscarp 0.4m high. Both banks reduce to ground level at the N end where modern mutilation has taken place. This end appears to have had a rounded corner with no original breaks in the inner and outer banks. The only extant entrance is in the SW corner where the counterscarp of the NW side blocks the ditch and and provides a level access. On the SW side, scarp and counterscarp are 0.7m and 1m high respectively, whilst the fosse is 1.7m deep. The counterscarp of the NE side is approximately 0.4m in height, with the ditch infilled. There are no signs of any external ditches. The "ancient road" shown traversing the earthwork on AO/60/329/3 cannot now be seen. There are also no external indications to trace this feature. Mr T G Manby, Arch Asst at Tolson Memorial Museum Huddersfield, considers the site to be that of a Medieval Vaccary, and quotes T W Hanson. Hanson however, does not list Meg Dike amongst his supposed vaccaries of Sowerbyshire (a). A 25" AM survey of Meg Dike has been made, and the following GPs taken. AO/60/170/6-8. (3) Survey of 20.1.61 unchanged. (4)
Square earthwork of uncertain age: it has been compared to other small sub-rectangular stock enclosures, although it may be a medieval vaccary. (5)
SE 050 175. Meg Dike, Barkisland. Scheduled No WY/320. (6) |