How old is Wansdyke ?

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tjj T
tjj Oct 15, 2007 22:38:39

I had a really wonderful walk along the Wansdyke on Sunday. Panoramic views of the Silbury Hill landscape on one side and the Vale of Pewsey on the other.

I was surprised that there appears to be nothing on TMA about the Wansdyke which runs from the outskirts of Savernake Forest to Maes Knoll near Bristol. It is the largest linear defensive earthworth after Hadrian's Wall and Offa's Dyke. It's construction seems to have similaries with the Avebury Circle but I understand it only dates from 400AD - 700AD and thus would not qualify to be included on TMA. However, it felt very much part of the ancient Avebury/Silbury landscpe.

Does anyone have more information about how old it really is?

P Pete G
Pete G Oct 15, 2007 22:44:21
Replying to tjj

tjj wrote:
Does anyone have more information about how old it really is?
http://www.wansdyke21.org.uk/wansdykehomepage.htm

F forrester 2
forrester 2 Oct 17, 2007 10:33:56
Replying to tjj

I think that there's speculation that it was used as some kind of military boundary during the Anglo-Saxon invasion period. Someone, I can't remember the name, wrote a good deal about it in "Arthur:a military history". I didn't know that there was any kind of limitation about how old sites can be on TMA? I think it's perfectly OK to share interests about places from a variety of periods. I've just been reading Blake & Lloyd's stuff about Offa's dyke, which they say is actually an ancient Roman "wall" of Septimus Severus, taking it back into the kind of time-frame you are in.