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Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen is an early medieval linear earthwork that forms part of the extensive defensive frontier constructed during the reign of Offa of Mercia in the late eighth century. This section of the dyke runs across the border country of Wales, where it survives as a prominent ridge running north-south across the landscape. The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference DE136.
The dyke was constructed across varied terrain, and at this location it crosses bedrock of Dinantian age—limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks—which would have influenced both the engineering of the earthwork and the character of the surrounding landscape. The construction involved moving substantial quantities of soil and rock to create a formidable linear barrier, demonstrating the considerable resources and organisation available to the eighth-century Mercian kingdom.
The preservation of this section between Pen-y-Bryn and Orseddwen allows modern visitors to experience the scale and ambition of Offa's great frontier work. The dyke's prominence in the modern landscape reflects the engineering skill invested in its original creation and the durability of earthwork construction across more than a thousand years.
Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE136. View the official record →
Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen is an early medieval linear earthwork that forms part of the extensive defensive frontier constructed during the reign of Offa of Mercia in the late eighth century. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference DE136.
Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen 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.
Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen 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 DE136.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Offa's Dyke: section 300yds (270m) long, N of Pentre-Shannel (6.4 km), Trefarclawdd colliery remains immediately north of Pottery Cottages (6.9 km), Offa's Dyke: section 380m west of Pottery Cottages (6.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.