Wansdyke (from Woden's Dyke) is an early medieval defensive linear earthwork in the West Country of England, consisting of a ditch and a running embankment from the ditch spoil. It runs from Maes Knoll, a hillfort close to Norton Malreward, in the Chew Valley south of Bristol, to the Savernake Forest near Marlborough in Wiltshire. Its origins are unclear, but archaeological data shows that it was probably built during the 5th or 6th century. That is after the withdrawal of the Romans and before the takeover by Anglo-Saxons. This area became the border between the Romano-British Celts and the West Saxons following the Battle of Deorham in 577 AD [1]. The ditch is on the north side, so presumably it was used by the Celts as a defence against Saxons encroaching from the upper Thames valley. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Saxon Cenwalh achieved a breakthrough against the British Celtic tribes, with victories at Bradford-on-Avon (in the Avon Gap in the Wansdyke) in 652 AD [2], and further south at the Battle of Peonnum (at Penselwood) in 658 AD [3], followed by an advance west through the Polden Hills to the River Parrett. [4]. The Wansdyke consists of three parts 14, 22 and 19 km long. East Wansdyke in Wiltshire on the south of the Marlborough Downs has been less disturbed by later agriculture and building, and remains more clearly traceable on the ground. Here the bank is up to 4m high with a ditch up to 2.5m deep. When the Saxons came upon the dyke, they named it after their god Woden, hence it became 'Woden's Dyke' and, eventually, Wansdyke. It is may be compared to both Offa's Dyke and Hadrian's Wall as one of the largest defensive earthworks in the United Kingdom. Nennius, an 8th century Welsh monk who had access to older chronicles since lost, describes these defences and their purpose, and links them to the legends of King Arthur. The dyke gave its name to the former Wansdyke district and also to the Wansdyke constituency.
References
- ^ The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 501-97 AD.
- ^ The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 645-56 AD.
- ^ The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 658-75 AD.
- ^ The Victoria History of the County of Somerset, Vol 1 (1906)
See also
External links
- Wansdyke Project 21 -- A project to preserve Wansdyke (the earthwork). Includes a FAQ.
