Scheduled MonumentsWalesOffa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood
Early Medieval · Linear Earthwork

Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood

Radnorshire, Wales
Cadw SAM RD020
Period
Early Medieval
Site type
Linear Earthwork
Broad class
Monument
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Offa's Dyke is a linear earthwork constructed during the late eighth century under the reign of King Offa of Mercia to establish and demarcate the border between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdoms to the west. This section extending approximately 1125 metres south-westward to Gilfach Wood in Radnorshire forms part of the longer monument that once stretched for over 240 kilometres across the Welsh-English border. The dyke comprises a substantial ditch with an accompanying bank, representing a significant engineering undertaking of the Early Medieval period designed to regulate movement and control access across the frontier. The survival of this section in Radnorshire, despite later agricultural and environmental modification, contributes to the understanding of Offa's Dyke's construction method and its deployment across difficult terrain in mid-Wales.

Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD020. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood?

Offa's Dyke is a linear earthwork constructed during the late eighth century under the reign of King Offa of Mercia to establish and demarcate the border between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdoms to the west. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD020.

What period does Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood date from?

Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood dates from the early medieval period, and is classified as a linear earthwork. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood?

Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is RD020.

What other scheduled monuments are near Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Three Roman Camps (revealed by aerial photography) NE of Walton (6.6 km), Knapp Farm Mound (6.8 km), Offa's Dyke: Rushock Hill section, extending 1630yds (1490m) E to Kennel Wood (6.8 km).

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