Dating Offa's Dyke

My attention was drawn to an article in the Daily Mail about recent work which suggests that at least part of Offa's Dyke near Chirk can be dated to the period 430-652 with 95% certainty on the basis of radio-carbon dating.  

This would suggest that the Dyke was an on-going policy by the Kings of Mercia, and that King Offa (757-796) himself may have consolidated the work of his predecessors into a complete system. The article, with some good illustrations of the earthwork can be read at Ancient Offa's Dyke between England and Wales may be renamed.

 Offa's Dyke on Spring Hill in Shropshire

Image:offasdyke.demon.co.uk

What this does demonstrate is both the ability of Anglo-Saxon rulers to engage in organised projects over along period and their ability to exact labour and military services and, secondly, the fact that we are still learning about the past in ways which open up our understanding.

Damage to Offa's Dyke

In recent days there have been reports of serious damage to a section of Offa's Dyke, which have involved the levelling of the embankment and the filling of the ditch, on a site towards its northern end.

Two of these reports are  here, from the BBC Reports of damage to Offa's Dyke near Chirk are investigated , and from the Daily Mail at Offa's Dyke: 'Travellers' flatten 50 yards of 8th century monument

Due to its nature the Dyke is liable to damage and erosion, and its care and preservation should be a priority with local communities as well as those formally charged with its care like CADW.

In my view the damaged section in this instance should be reinstated, and those responsible should be pursued with the full rigour of the law. Unfortunately that does not happen in far too many cases of this sort, and vandalism is accepted or tolerated by authorities who should mete out real punishments for such offences. Ignorance is no excuse, and should not be accepted as one. Who in that area has not heard of Offa's Dyke? A spell in prison might give time for the offenders to read some books on Anglio-Saxon history - and if they can't read, time to learn how.

There is an introduction to this monument to the ability of the eighth century Mercian monarchy to organise and demarcate its western frontier here.