What's Wat's Dyke? Wrexham Comic Heritage Trail

Abstract

We hope this comic heritage trail for Wrexham helps introduce you to Britain's third-longest ancient monument.

Wat's Dyke was built in the early medieval period (most likely between the late 7th and early 9th centuries AD). Today, it is a fragmentary bank and ditch surviving in varied states of preservation. When newly built, it was most likely designed as a continuous construction by the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia to dominate and control its western frontier with Welsh rivals. It runs over c. 64km from Basingwerk (Flintshire) to Maesbury (Shropshire).

The map shows you where you can visit the monument today, and the comic panels tell the story of Wat's Dyke at each location. 

And if you'd like to know even more about Wat's dyke and other similar monuments, there are suggestions for further reading as well as online links to recent research at the end of the booklet.