Scheduled MonumentsWalesWat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm
Early Medieval · Linear Earthwork

Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm

Flintshire, Wales
Cadw SAM FL083
Period
Early Medieval
Site type
Linear Earthwork
Broad class
Monument
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Wat's Dyke is a linear earthwork of Early Medieval date, traditionally attributed to the seventh or eighth century, forming part of a longer defensive frontier system in the Welsh Marches. This particular section, extending from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm in Flintshire, represents a surviving portion of a substantial bank and ditch constructed to demarcate territorial boundaries between Anglo-Saxon and Welsh lands. The earthwork consists of an upcast bank faced on both sides with a substantial ditch, engineered to create a formidable obstacle across the landscape. The dyke remains an important archaeological monument, protected as a scheduled ancient monument, providing material evidence for the political organisation and inter-cultural relations of Early Medieval Britain.

Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference FL083. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm?

Wat's Dyke is a linear earthwork of Early Medieval date, traditionally attributed to the seventh or eighth century, forming part of a longer defensive frontier system in the Welsh Marches. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference FL083.

What period does Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm date from?

Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm 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 Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm?

Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm 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 FL083.

What other scheduled monuments are near Wat's Dyke: Section from Chester-Holywell Road to Soughton Farm?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tyddyn Castle Mound (4.5 km), Wat's Dyke: Section from Bod Offa to Whitehouse Farm (5.1 km), Round Barrow at Pentrehobin (5.1 km).

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