Comic panel 9
Sir Cyril Fox first explored Wat’s Dyke in a systematic way as part of his broader project investigating Offa’s Dyke. In the summer of 1932, he surveyed the well-preserved section at The Rookery south of Erddig Hall.
Small-scale excavations into Wat’s Dyke took place through the 1970s–1990s led by David Hill and Margaret Worthington, including a dig in Erddig Park. Then, an important large-scale excavation at Gobowen (Shropshire) in 2006 by Tim Malim and Laurence Hayes explored and dated Wat’s Dyke through radiocarbon (C14) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) which together suggested an early 9th-century AD date.
More information was gathered in 2018; Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust conducted excavations at multiple locations in Erddig Park. Their work has confirmed the line and character of the dyke in places where it wasn’t clear whether it was ever built in the first place! Also, new scientific dates confirm Wat’s Dyke was an early medieval monument. However, precisely when it was built and for how long it was used remains unclear.
We must ask: was Wat’s Dyke a one-phase construction? Or instead, were different sections of Wat’s Dyke built by successive Mercian rulers, maybe for contrasting purposes and over a longer duration? Perhaps only more investigations will answer these questions!
Go North to Wat’s Dyke at Big Wood
Go South to Wat’s Dyke towards Middle Sontley
Access
On foot: via footpath from Erddig Hall (500m), footpath from Felin Puleston Outdoor Centre (1.7km) or footpath from Coed y Glyn (2.1km). Access via off-road mobility scooter only. Check accessible routes on Erddig Country Park website.
By car: parking in car park at Erddig Hall, in layby on Ruabon Road or in carpark at Felin Puleston Outdoor Centre.
The Offa's Dyke Collaboratory 