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Wat's Dyke is a linear earthwork monument of early medieval date forming part of the defensive frontier between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and Wales. The 490-metre section in the vicinity of Preeshenelle Bridge in Shropshire represents a surviving segment of this substantial boundary work, which comprises a bank with an associated ditch. The dyke, traditionally attributed to the seventh or eighth century, displays the characteristic form of early medieval territorial markers, though scholarly consensus on its precise dating and construction phases remains contested. This documented section contributes to understanding the extent and survival of Wat's Dyke across its total length of approximately sixty-five kilometres in the Welsh borderlands.
Wat's Dyke, 490m long section, immediately north and south of Preeshenelle Bridge is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1020615. View the official record →
Wat's Dyke is a linear earthwork monument of early medieval date forming part of the defensive frontier between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1020615.
Wat's Dyke, 490m long section, immediately north and south of Preeshenelle Bridge 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 1020615.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Oswestry Castle: motte and adjoining section of the town wall immediately north east of Christ Church (6.3 km), Wat's Dyke: 375m long section immediately south of Middleton Road and west of Laburnum Drive (6.6 km), Wat's Dyke: 365m long section, extending from 45m north east of Gate House on Shrewsbury Road (7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Wat's Dyke, 490m long section, immediately north and south of Preeshenelle Bridge'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.
Wat's Dyke, 490m long section, immediately north and south of Preeshenelle Bridge stands on Warwickshire Group, bedrock that formed in the Early Permian. The rock here is siltstone and sandstone with subordinate mudstone.