Sections of Wansdyke in Jockey Copse and Round Copse

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

History & significance

Sections of Wansdyke in Jockey Copse and Round Copse is a linear earthwork monument forming part of the larger Wansdyke defence system in Wiltshire. The Wansdyke itself is a substantial bank and ditch construction that extends across the Wiltshire and Somerset landscape, generally dated to the early Anglo-Saxon period, likely the sixth or seventh century. These specific sections preserve evidence of the characteristic form of the earthwork, comprising a prominent bank with an accompanying ditch, which would have served as a territorial or defensive boundary. The monument's preservation within the wooded landscape of Jockey Copse and Round Copse has helped protect it from later agricultural disturbance and provides important archaeological evidence for understanding early Anglo-Saxon territorial organisation and engineering capabilities in southern Britain.

Sections of Wansdyke in Jockey Copse and Round Copse is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1004751. View the official record →

Questions & answers

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

Generate a full report for this location

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.