Offa's Dyke

Offa's Dyke may not actually have been built by King Offa! He was the the Anglo-Saxon king of Mercia, who ruled from 757 AD to 796 AD. It apporoximately runs along what was the border between Anglo-Saxon Mecia and the Welsh knigdon of Powys. It is an amazing structure given that, in places, it was 65 feet wide (about 20 metres) and sometimes 8 feet deep (2.4 metres). It runs for about 180 miles from the Severn Estuary northwards to Liverpool Bay.

Science (carbon-dating) shows that the Dyke was started in early 400's AD, during the period after the Romans had left Britain. This is 350 years before Offa. It is likely that some form of eary works were done and that these may have been re-enforced to re-built during King Offa's time. The structure is such that is was built by the Anglo-Saxons and not by the Welsh. Anglo-Saxon vassels would be expected to supply labour and materials to the King as an obligation in exchange for his protection within their own area of administration. One key to the building was that from anywhere along its' length there was an uniterrupted view from Mercia into Wales.

Had the Romans built defenses along here first? Did the Dyke really stretch all the way continuously from south to north? There is also a suggestion that "ofer" means border or edge. The Offa's Dyke Path is 176 miles long, although in some places it is a distance away from the dyke itself. It is one of Britain's longest trails and the bits I have walked (most just to the west of the Forest of Dean) are very interesting, very beautiful. Whatever you believe, it is not hard to be impressed and feel you can touch, walk, or at the very least, see history from a long, long time ago!