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Historic England Research Records

Meg Dyke

Hob Uid: 47556
Location :
Calderdale
Ripponden
Grid Ref : SE0498017450
Summary : A late prehistoric enclosed settlement known as Meg Dike. The enclosure has substantial banks and ditches on its south west and north west sides. The inner bank on these sides is typically 6 metres wide and 1 metre high, the ditch is 4 metres wide and 1 metre deep, and the outer bank is 5 metres wide and 1 metre high. The north east side of the enclosure has been disturbed by quarrying. Scammonden Road passes through the south east part of the enclosure, and the south eastern perimeter of the enclosure is visible south east of the road. Approximately two thirds of the interior of the enclosed settlement has been disturbed by quarrying. Scheduled.
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)
Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 6" 1904-48
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Ministry of Works. 1958. Ancient Monuments of England and Wales, 92
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : F1 ECW 20-JAN-61
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Source Number : 3a
Source :
Source details : Hanson TW. 1949. Cattle Ranches of Sowerbyshire, Halifax Antiquarian Society Papers, 49-59
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : F2 RL 15-DEC-64
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Source Number : 5
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Source details :
Page(s) : 114
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : West Yorkshire
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : 19-Mar-99
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Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Later Prehistoric
Display Date : Later Prehistoric
Monument End Date : 43
Monument Start Date : -4000
Monument Type : Enclosed Settlement
Evidence : Earthwork
Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : WY 320
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 31526
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SE 01 NW 16
External Cross Reference Notes :
Related Warden Records :
Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date :
End Date :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1961-01-20
End Date : 1961-01-20
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1964-12-15
End Date : 1964-12-15