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Offa's Dyke is a linear earthwork constructed in the late eighth century under the direction of King Offa of Mercia to form a boundary between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdoms to the west. The section at Highbury Plains, situated 370 metres west of Birt's Barn in Gloucestershire, comprises a substantial bank and ditch running broadly north to south across the landscape. At this location the earthwork typically measures several metres in width and stands as a surviving example of the extensive frontier system that extended for approximately 240 kilometres along the Anglo-Welsh border. The dyke remains a significant archaeological monument testament to late Saxon territorial organisation and engineering capability.
Offa's Dyke: section in Highbury Plains, 370m west of Birt's Barn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1020479. View the official record →
Offa's Dyke is a linear earthwork constructed in the late eighth century under the direction of King Offa of Mercia to form a boundary between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdoms to the west. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1020479.
Offa's Dyke: section in Highbury Plains, 370m west of Birt's Barn is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1020479.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tintern Abbey, Precinct Wall (8.3 km), Offa's Dyke: section in Passage Grove, 660m west of Sheepcot (8.3 km), Colwell Grove Limekiln and Quarry, Tintern (8.3 km).
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around Offa's Dyke: section in Highbury Plains, 370m west of Birt's Barn