Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust and the Offa’s Dyke Collabatory invite you to a one day conference event, held at the Marches School, Oswestry, on Saturday September 15th. This exciting and informative symposium, organised by the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, will feature perspectives from field archaeologists, academics, local history societies, enthusiasts, and many more. With talks on historical…
A Walkers’ ‘Passport’ for Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail
In spring 2019 the Offa’s Dyke Association (ODA) is launching its walkers’ Passport scheme for Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail. It will operate with the full knowledge and co-operation of the Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail Officer and will use the official National Trail acorn branding on its cover. Trail passports are popular with walkers…
Rethinking Offa’s and Wat’s Dykes – Prof. Williams gives Keynote to the Chester Archaeological Society Conference, 2018
We’re at the end of the Chester Heritage Festival (more details here) and today was the Chester Archaeological Society Conference. Sadly, I had to miss today’s papers due to family commitments. However, last night I felt honoured and privileged to open the conference by delivering the keynote address to an audience of c. 50 delegates including…
Craignant Tower (again)
In a previous post, I reviewed the Craignant Tower: a 19th-century ruin marking the line of Offa’s Dyke. Andy Heaton of Trefonen has kindly shared with me an old (undated) photograph of this tower in its original form: evoking beside the road a faux-medievalism and bespoke ruination.
Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory after 1 Year
This blog post is to update everyone about what we’ve been doing over the last year. In under 13 months there has been a lot of activity by individual convenors and members, but also under the auspices of the Collaboratory itself. The Website First, we set up this website to outline what the Collaboratory is…
CFP: Offa’s Dyke Journal, Volume 1 for 2019
CALL FOR PAPERS The Offa’s Dyke Journal The Journal of the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory Volume 1 for 2019 https://offaswatsdyke.wordpress.com/ Editor: Professor Howard Williams Assistant Editor: Liam Delaney The Offa’s Dyke Journal is now accepting submissions of original research articles of up to 10,000 words for its first issue: Volume 1 for 2019. ODJ is a…
Offa’s Dyke: Conservation Conversations
Paul Belford writes on his blog: The conservation of Offa’s Dyke has been the focus of two events in recent weeks. Both were hosted by the Offa’s Dyke Association (ODA) and took place at the delightful Offa’s Dyke Centre in Knighton. The first event, on 23 March, was the third meeting of the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory; the second, on 12…
Offa’s Dyke Heritage – 10.30-17.00, 23rd March 2018, Offa’s Dyke Centre, Knighton
The 3rd Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory meeting is taking place at the Offa’s Dyke Centre, Knighton, this coming Friday 23rd March 2018. We have an exciting programme of speakers laid on, focusing on the heritage of Offa’s Dyke. You can book your place by phoning the Offa’s Dyke Centre, 10.00am–3.00pm daily: 01547 528753, or via email: oda@offasdyke.org.uk…
Lancaut Revelations – 16th March, Chepstow
Recent Revelations from the Lancaut Peninsular – a day-school about a ruined church and DMV on the banks of the Wye below a promontory fort on the line of Offa’s Dyke. How do we think it fits together? Day School event on Friday 16th March at the Chepstow Drill Hall, 10am-3.30pm. Cost £5 (includes a…
Offa’s Dyke Heritage
The Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory are co-hosting a day workshop with the Offa’s Dyke Centre. We are very grateful to the Centre for supporting this and for a range of speakers who have already agreed to speak on aspects of the heritage of Offa’s Dyke and other linear earthworks. Confirmed speakers include: Offa’s Dyke by Numbers…
Dykes through Time – Rethinking Early Medieval Linear Earthworks
At the 39th Theoretical Archaeology Group conference – 18th-20th December 2017 – I organised the second meeting of the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory – a research network set up to foster new research on the early medieval linear earthworks of western Britain. Building on from a first and very successful workshop at Shrewsbury in April 2017, this…
Earthworks and… comics?
I am an archaeological illustrator who regularly creates drawings and paintings for various kinds of public outreach projects. Several years ago, I began using comics as a medium for visual explanation of all kinds of archaeology – monuments, research, excavation, survey, etc. What I have discovered is that comics are an extraordinarily suitable medium for…
Offa’s Dyke book shortlisted for Current Archaeology ‘Book of the Year 2018’
The 2016 book by Keith Ray and Ian Bapty: Offa’s Dyke: Landscape and Hegemony in Eighth-Century Britain is up for Book of the Year 2018 among the Current Archaeology Awards. Please consider voting for the book! Vote here! I say this for two reasons. First, the book is a very important one: a dense, rich and extended…
TRPG Event – Trefonen
Andy Heaton of the TRPG sent in this report: The Trefonen Rural Protection Group (TRPG) hosted it’s “Autumn Speaker Evening 2017” which focussed this year on the Offa’s Dyke monument and long distance footpath that both pass through the heart of our village. In a packed village hall with over 120 of our community in…
Frontiers Past and Present – Journal of the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory
I’m now working on a new open-access journal as a key endeavour for the Collaboratory. Frontiers Past and Present – Journal of the Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory The idea is to create a journal focusing on the history and archaeology of linear earthworks and other boundaries and frontier works. The journal will also explore the heritage…
Maen Achwyfan and its Landscape
Of direct relevance to the contested frontier landscape of the pre-Norman era is the fascinating cross at Maen Achwyfan, Flintshire. It is close to the Whitford dykes and close to where Offa’s Dyke has been considered by antiquarians as running. Indeed, I just love Maen Achwyfan: a 10th/11th-century cross in Flintshire. It is actually really…
New Publication: Placing the Pillar of Eliseg
At the inaugural Collaboratory workshop in Shrewsbury in April 2017, I presented the key findings of work conducted by Dr Patricia Murrieta-Flores and myself stemming from the Past in its Place ERC-funded project. I’ve discussed various elements of this paper before on on my blog but the final publication is now out in the journal…
New heritage signs at Chirk Castle put Offa’s Dyke back on the map
A year ago I wrote a critical post about ‘Dyke Denial at Chirk Castle‘. Despite being a fan of this wonderful National Trust property, I was disappointed by the low priority given to informing and educating visitors about Offa’s Dyke which runs through the grounds. Visitors enter by car, coach bicycle or on foot, crossing…
Lyonshall
Finding early medieval dykes can be a hit and miss affair, I should know, I did my PhD on the things studying over a hundred examples. Sometimes I seemed to be going round and round in circles on foot or in my car fruitlessly comparing odd small lumps on the ground with antiquarian references to…
