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The Henge Monuments of the British Isles: Myth and Archaeology

The Henge Monuments of the British Isles: Myth and Archaeology

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Offa's Dyke Centre - Museum in Wales in Powys

Submitted by TimPrevett on Monday, 01 February 2021  Page Views: 4484

MuseumsSite Name: Offa's Dyke Centre Alternative Name: Offa's Dyke Visitor Centre
Country: Wales County: Powys Type: Museum
Nearest Town: Knighton
Map Ref: SO2850172430
Latitude: 52.345263N  Longitude: 3.050993W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
5 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

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St Chad's Well (nr Clun) and Offa's Dyke
St Chad's Well (nr Clun) and Offa's Dyke submitted by roburite : This is Offa's Dyke. The spring is on the left before you get to the tall trees. (Vote or comment on this photo)
The Offa's Dyke Centre is a purpose-built information centre in the town of Knighton, on Offa's Dyke on the border between England (Shropshire) and Wales (Powys). It is currently closed, however some of the best remains of the earthworks can be seen within a two-minute walk from the centre.

It includes an interactive exhibition allowing visitors to explore the Offa's Dyke, and an exhibition on Glyndwr’s Way including historical information about Owain Glyndwr himself.

The Centre, opened in 1999, forms the focus for activities based on the 8th Century earthwork built by Offa, the King of Mercia. The dyke itself follows the Welsh English border from the hills above Prestatyn to the Severn Estuary near Chepstow.

Free entry
Address: Offa's Dyke Centre, West Street, Knighton, Powys LD7 1EN, UK
Telephone: 01547 528 753
Visit their website or Twitter feed.

Note: How much work was involved in building the Dykes of the Mercian frontier? (More than you would think) A two-part article by archaeologist Keith Ray
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Offa's Dyke Centre
Offa's Dyke Centre submitted by TimPrevett : Offa's Dyke Centre as viewed from the main road. Free parking around the side and back as of July 2017. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Offa's Dyke Centre
Offa's Dyke Centre submitted by TimPrevett : Offa's Dyke Centre as viewed from the north, heading towards the dyke. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Offa's Dyke Centre
Offa's Dyke Centre submitted by TimPrevett : A modern stone to mark Offa's Dyke, visible to the rear with path ascending it. Near the Offa's Dyke Centre, Knighton, Powys. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.

Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
SO2872 : West Street, Knighton by Jaggery
by Jaggery
©2014(licence)
SO2872 : Wesley House by Tiger
by Tiger
©2017(licence)
SO2872 : Former Methodist Church by Tiger
by Tiger
©2017(licence)
SO2872 : Former Methodist Church (Knighton) by Fabian Musto
by Fabian Musto
©2018(licence)
SO2872 : West Street Garage, Knighton by Jaggery
by Jaggery
©2014(licence)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 946m SW 230° Jacket's Well, The Jackets, Jackets Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SO2776271836)
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 6.1km N 4° Rockhill Iron Age Enclosure* Misc. Earthwork (SO290785)
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 8.3km SSE 152° Stapleton Henge Henge (SO32356510)
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 8.6km SSW 195° Beggar's Bush Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SO26096417)
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"Offa's Dyke Centre" | Login/Create an Account | 8 News and Comments
  
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How much work was involved in building the Dykes of the Mercian frontier? by Andy B on Monday, 01 February 2021
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How much work was involved in building the Dykes of the Mercian frontier? by archaeologist Keith Ray

A Simple Calculation?
I frequently get asked: How long would it have taken to build Offa’s Dyke and/or Wat’s Dyke? And relatedly, the question: What size of workforce would have been necessary to build it/them? The short (but unhelpful) answer is of course that not only do we not know, but that it is even doubtful how closely we can ever estimate these matters: and especially so at the present stage of research.

Such an answer does not of course satisfy the curious questioner in the least. So, I have at various times done my best to answer these questions – at least hypothetically. I recently joined an exchange of messages with Ray Bailey and Howard Williams in response to a query from Ray about the text of an information panel to be installed at Holywell in Flintshire on the line of Wat’s Dyke near its terminus on the Dee estuary. During that exchange, I set out some reflections about how to answer these questions a little more coherently than I usually manage; and Howard thought that others might be interested to read about this: and he has therefore invited me to contribute this three-part blog. So, even if we cannot come to a definitive answer, explaining why it is such a tough question might prove insightful to those interested in the building of Britain’s longest early medieval linear monuments.

How not to do your calculation
Most people realise that if you are thinking of making an estimate about the scale of the task of digging dykes, you need first to try to calculate the volume of soil and rock that had to be dug out, and how this was then to be piled up to create the bank. So, surely all you need to do is to look at a map, and then carefully read off the map scale to measure the full length of the dyke in question? After doing this, you can simply estimate how much soil needed to be dug out to build a bank of an average height and width for a specified length, and then multiply this by whatever factor to produce your ‘final’ amount.

Sadly, however, this is a sure-fire way to hugely underestimate the task that the Mercian regime was faced with to build their long frontier works. Why this should be so, and what other factors need to be taken into account before you can attempt a realistic calculation, forms the substance of this blog post, and the subsequent one.

Part 1 is here
https://offaswatsdyke.wordpress.com/2021/01/29/how-much-work-was-involved-in-building-the-dykes-of-the-mercian-frontier-part-1/

and Part 2
https://offaswatsdyke.wordpress.com/2021/01/31/how-much-work-was-involved-in-building-the-dykes-of-the-mercian-frontier-part-2-by-keith-ray/
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Digi-Dykes: Linear Earthworks Online by Chloe Bridge and Howard Williams by Andy B on Saturday, 04 April 2020
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Video for Special Offa 16: Digi-Dykes: Linear Earthworks Online – Video by Chloe Bridge and Howard Williams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m4tEG3vz4M

We get a big mention in Howard and Chloe's talk as one of the ways to transform the digital footprint of Offa's and Wat's Dyke, to raise awareness of these linear features. As Howard says it's about 'crowdsourcing' and 'citizen science' - neither terms that I like very much, but serve to illustrate how we go about things. More help is much appreciated to add more sites and locations along Offa's and Wat's Dyke, and add information on other linear earthworks.
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Special Offa 15: Exploring (Remotely) the Affects of Offa’s Dyke within the Landscape by Andy B on Saturday, 04 April 2020
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Special Offa 15: Exploring (Remotely) the Affects of Offa’s Dyke within the Landscape – Liam Delaney

Liam Delaney is a doctoral researcher at the Univeresity of Chester and he’s been busy exploring new ways of identifying and analysing Offa’s Dyke using remote sensing. He has also co-edited the Offa’s Dyke Journal volume 1 and is currently co-editing volume 2.

In his Twitter presentation, Liam explores new insights regarding the presence and placing of Offa’s Dyke and also Wat’s Dyke too.

https://twitter.com/_yen/status/1246430545833271296

It includes specially produced LIDAR fly-bys of whole sections of Offa's and Wat's Dyke
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Special Offa 1 – Introducing ‘Special Offa: Communities and Offa’s Dyke by Andy B on Saturday, 04 April 2020
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Howard Williams and Pauline Clarke, together with Andy Heaton of the Trefonen Rural Protection Group, put together an exciting scheduled public conference and guided walk at Trefonen, Shropshire. Titled Special Offa: Communities and Offa’s Dyke, this public event was planned to take place on 4 April 2020, with a morning of talks by academics, heritage experts and local enthusiasts, followed by an afternoon walk to explore the new 50th anniversary heritage posts and the well-preserved sections of Offa’s Dyke north of the village. By doing so, the aim was to explore different dimensions of relationships between communities and Offa’s Dyke, past and present, from a range of different perspectives and showcasing the latest research and thinking. The choice of Trefonen was not arbitrary: the village sits on Offa’s Dyke, and has many local enthusiast groups who have worked hard to promote and benefit the local area’s history and heritage.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sadly we had to postpone the event. Instead, we decided to ‘go digital’ rather than cancel outright. To this end, not only are we delighted that EVERY confirmed speaker agreed to present via digital media, but we had invitations of many ADDITIONAL presentations. The results will be presented today via this blog, and disseminated via YouTube videos, and posts on Facebook and tweets on Twitter.

All the presentations are being uploaded to the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory blog to curate this distinctive and experimental event for those wishing to learn more about Wat’s Dyke, Offa’s Dyke, and the landscapes of the Anglo-Welsh borderlands.

https://offaswatsdyke.wordpress.com/2020/04/04/special-offa-1-introducing-special-offa-communities-and-offas-dyke/

https://offaswatsdyke.wordpress.com/category/events/

DIGTIAL Special Offa Programme 30-03-20
https://offaswatsdyke.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/digtial-special-offa-programme-30-03-20.pdf

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Living History Festival - Offa's Dyke Centre, 13th/14th July 2019 by Andy B on Tuesday, 11 June 2019
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Living History Festival - Offa's Dyke Centre

Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust and the Offa's Dyke Association present a weekend of Anglo Saxon and early Medieval excitement! Immerse yourself in Medieval life with our camp of reenactors from Cwmwd Ial, who will be on hand to demonstrate crafts, foods - and battle drills!

With hands on archaeology activities, talks, guided walks, storytelling sessions and more, this weekend is full of things to see and do.

Celebrating 50 years of the Offa's Dyke Association. This event has been made possible by funding from Cadw. Suitable for all ages, entry free.

10am to 5pm, 13th/14th July 2019
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Re: Offa's Dyke may be older than Offa. by Anonymous on Sunday, 23 September 2018
Re: Offa’s Dyke may be older.

It is entirely possible that Offa's Dyke was actually built by Emperor Septimus Severus, as narrated in the Historia Augustus which says that Severus built an earthen rampart across Britain from sea to sea. The reason it was called Offa's Dyke is because it curved like a snake in a very un-Roman fashion. (A snake in Greeek is an ophis.).

Ralph Ellis
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Offa’s Dyke Heritage - day workshop on Fri 23rd March 2018 by Andy B on Sunday, 04 March 2018
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Offa’s Dyke Heritage

The Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory are co-hosting a day workshop with the Offa’s Dyke Centre. We are very grateful to the Centre for supporting this and for a range of speakers who have already agreed to speak on aspects of the heritage of Offa’s Dyke and other linear earthworks.

Confirmed speakers include:

Offa’s Dyke by Numbers – André Berry

Recent Revelations from the Lancaut Peninsular – Andrew Blake

Wat’s the Problem? The Challenges of Caring for Offa’s and Wat’s Dykes at National Trust Sites – Kathy Laws

Community Stewardship of Mercian Monuments Project (CoSMM) – Ian Mackey and Mel Leggatt

Archaeological Earthworks & Visitor Carrying Capacity: Proactive Versus Inactive Management – Dave McGlade

Making Earthworks Visible: The Example of the Oswestry Heritage Comics Project – John G. Swogger

Offa’s Dyke’s Death Heritage – Howard Williams

£10 inc. refreshments and packed lunch

More at
https://offaswatsdyke.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/offas-dyke-heritage/
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Prof. Howard M. R. Williams visits the Offa’s Dyke Centre by Andy B on Tuesday, 25 July 2017
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Prof. Howard M. R. Williams visits the Offa’s Dyke Centre:

The Offa’s Dyke Centre at Knighton, opened in 1999 and supported by (among others) the Offa’s Dyke National Trail, is located on the edge of Knighton, Powys. It has already become one of my all-time favourite museums/heritage centres, despite the fact that I have so far only visited once just a few months back. Here’s why:

How many other museums or heritage centres are uniquely dedicated to educating the public about one of Britain’s largest and longest monuments?
How many other museums or heritage displays focus near-exclusively on the Early Middle Ages (‘Dark Ages’ for some)?
How many other museums or heritage centres seek to explain and contextualise a linear earthwork?

The answer to each of these questions is the same: very few. Put the questions together and the answer is: none. We should add to this one further dimension: not only is the Offa’s Dyke Centre unique, it is FREE.

More at
https://howardwilliamsblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/18/heres-why-the-offas-dyke-centre-is-awesome/
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